The Potentially Life-Altering And Contemplative Fictional Snus Convo

If you're wondering what Snus is: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snus

...

Do you ever have random conversations in your mind? With yourself?

I took a quick nap just now. Felt my eyes growing tired - so I laid down in the bed for just a minute... and this random conversation started playing in my head.

Not an actual, historical conversation. A fictional one. That could have occurred.

I'm currently staying over at my big bro's apartment while he's away. I've been re-arranging spices and such on the kitchen shelves a bit. Along with the spices there's a small box of snus.

So in the conversation big bro asks if I want some snus.

I tell him no thanks, I don't do snus.

He says that I never have right?

I say no. I've never smoked, and I've never snusat. I've never done drugs either, and I'd rather never start.

He says something along the lines of: You only live once though.

I think back on my history with alcohol, which I have tried. And since I have tried alcohol - I tasted a few spirits and liquors and such whilst in high school - I've tried more. I'll have a glass of wine now and then. I have a few bottles I've been gifted by the company I work for. Occasionally when I've had the house to myself I've opened one, and spent the next week or so having a glass each day for dinner. Wine's nice. I've tried herbal liquors. My sister's a fan of Riga Balsam in particular - this thick and dark herbal brew from Latvia - so I have a bottle of that at home as well. I like the sweeter stuff too...

I've become intrigued by the craft of brewing beverages, both alcoholic and not, and so when I had a bit more money to spare I bought with me a couple of vodka bottles from Poland. They have a special kind there with one strand of Bison grass in it - and they had a pretty cool ceramic bottle with something akin to honey mead - which I've tasted earlier too. There's another Russian brand that's great. It's fermented, so it's healthy too. I haven't tried either of the two varieties I bought Poland yet though. They don't age, and I like collecting things...

Anyway I'm not an alcoholic. I drink rarely. I'm not addicted. I haven't bought any specific alcoholic brand or beverage more than once - but I am curious about ones I haven't tried before, and I don't mind drinking in moderation.

So that door's open. Once I opened that door it was open, and unless I do drink to the point I have problems, then I don't think that door will close

Yet I am proud that I have never smoked. Or done drugs - if you define that as the illegal substances you think of when you say that word. And snus, too, I'm proud I'm never even tasted.

I'm pretty sure I would be proud also if I've never even had a sip of anything alcoholic in my life.

Not because I consider it a particularly bad thing in moderation, but because it's not a necessity - because I don't see that the consumption thereof improves the quality of my life in any regard - but maybe more importantly because abstinence is a matter of conviction, and principle, something I find most people lack these days, less they have an innate or superficial reason for it. For example: religion.

But to abide by your own principles? Derived by mindful means; considerations as to what's good for you, and what benefits you, and what helps or doesn't help you live your best life? It seems rare.

So I'm proud of the positive principles I do uphold, and especially when others don't.

To have conviction without any form of indoctrination to force it upon you: That requires even more conviction.

And yet it's easy to maintain a conviction if you've never strayed away from it. So for example snus. I've never tried it, and thus I feel no need to. I've never eaten meat, so thus I feel no need to. I have had drinks, so thus my conviction falters there. I know drinks are no danger. There's the illusion.

I didn't get as stuck on this 'conviction' thing in my conversation though.

Big bro responded with something along the lines of how you don't truly live if you don't experience life, though. And how that comes with both the good and bad.

And I said yes, that's the thing isn't it! The duality of it all.

Live life fully, and experience as much as possible, and you'll probably end up reducing the span of life you have available to you.

Live carefully, and think ahead, and you'll probably live longer, but still may not experience as much.

Then again tomorrow is never guaranteed. So maybe you'll live recklessly and live a long life regardless. Or on the flipside maybe you'll plan for the future, and end up having your life cut short by events beyond your control.

Car crashes for example happen all the time.

If you do live life recklessly, and live long, and have a poor and unwell final few decades, you lose.

If you plan for the future, stay healthy and focused on longevity - and you die in a car crash, you lose.

So ultimately, is it just a matter of choosing which life you'd prefer? Are you truly a party person, who wants to try everything, and be out all the time, and experience as much as possible? Then maybe living recklessly and caring less for your health is worth it.

Am I a party person? I don't think so. Not that kind of party person.

Then again there is the matter of principle too, and conviction. If you have the conviction to live a healthy life, maybe you'll appreciate your life until it's over, regardless of the outcome.

If it is cut short you won't know it. If you live long you'll live well.

On the other hand you can only win at living recklessly if your life truly does get cut shorter, and if you truly enjoy it. And I don't see how I can.

I'm not that kind of person. It's not my nature.

So no thank you. No snus.