Go Sit and Rock and Smoke Your Pipe

The tradition of the pipe between the Goddard’s and the Whatley’s began in 1933. Dr. Clifford and Mary Monk Whatley gave this old corn cob pipe to my grandfather, George Henry Goddard for his 50th birthday.



There was also this message, “Old man go sit and rock and smoke your pipe.”

The pipe hung on the wall in my grandfather’s office until Mrs. Mary turned 50 and he gave it back to her with the same message. “Old woman go sit and rock and smoke your pipe.”

When my grandparents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, the pipe came back to them with the same message. When Mrs. Mary turned 70, she got the pipe back. And then my grandfather got the pipe back on his 90th birthday.

When Ed Whatley (son of Clifford and Mary Whatley) turned fifty years, my grandfather decided it was time to pass the pipe down to the next generation. He gave it to my dad and told him to keep the tradition going. So my dad and mom presented the pipe to Dr. Ed Whatley with the same message, “Old man go sit and rock and smoke your pipe.”

The pipe was swapped back and forth on special birthdays and special occasions between the next generation of our two families. And always with the same message. “Old man go sit and rock and smoke your pipe.”

In July of 2000, Dr. Whatley and Rosemary came out to my house in Reynolds and gave me the pipe. He figured it was time to pass the pipe down to the third generation. He included a note about the history of the pipe and also these words: “This old box, pipe and letters are part of a lot of history of our two families. Keep it going.”

When Dr. Whatley’s son, Jim, turned 50 years old he got the pipe from me. I included a letter about the history of the pipe. Jim not only turned 50 but he had recently given his oldest daughter in marriage. My words were, “ I can’t think of a better time to return this pipe. This year you have definitely earned the right to relax a little…so - old man go sit and rock and smoke your pipe.”

When my brother George turned 50, Jim gave the pipe back to him with another personal letter that ended with the same message, “Old man go sit and rock and smoke your pipe.”

When I turned 50 a couple of years ago, I got the pipe back from my brother with the same message. Included in his letter were these words:

"We all grew up and moved from Reynolds (except for you until later), started our careers and families and moved away from a life-style that created families that were friends for generations. We grew up in the South where our parents were life-long friends with other couples and enjoyed the simple pleasures of each other’s company. We all have fond memories of backyard cookouts, fish fries, swimming parties and all of us kids playing together. Not watching TV or playing video games but actually interacting with each other. We all live busy lives but in all of this busyness we should not forget what our years in Reynolds gave us… ROOTS! May the world see this pipe that was first given by Mary Whatley to George Goddard in 1933 and be reminded that we have all strayed too far from home. And it’s time to go back!"

So the pipe has become a symbol for us not only of the special relationship our families have enjoyed for generations but a symbol of our common roots in a small south Georgia town.

Maybe there is a special message in this special pipe for all of us.

Maybe we all need to slow down and remember our roots.

And spend more time building enduring relationships.

And go sit and rock and smoke our pipe.