I started smoking at the age of 11yrs (hanging with the big boys) and continued to do so until 1994. Regardless of how I began I did. for years I tried to quit for every reason with the exception of the one I needed to quit for (me). When my daughter turned 16, I promised her I would quit and cry when I could not. I never smoked in the house nor did I let my daughter see me smoke and thought I was doing a good thing! I was and still am an avid excerciser and try to keep in decent shape. I really didn’t want to believe that I would succome to the effects I knew would eventually come until I could no longer break a 21 minute three mile. Once this truth set in I, still could not stop despite my faith and conscience pounding on me daily. I tried patches, hypnotism, gum, nothing worked.
On fathers day my daughter gave me a CD containing a song "Butterfly Kisses". A story of a relationship between a father and his daughter and in the song he (Bob Carlisle) sings of walking his daughter down the isle!
Simply put I wanted to be there to walk her down the isle giving her "Butterfly Kisses" as I gave her to her husband!
I want to live as long as I can to love and counsel her, to watch the growth of my grand children "Mostest Handsomest" and the new addition "Peanut Butter". I wanted to do this for me. I could be talk out, harrassed out, scared out or intellected out of this habit; but I could be loved out!
I feel for my brothers and sisters who want out and find it so difficult. I pass no judgement on my brothers and sisters who enjoy tabacco for I too enjoyed it’s taste and effects for most of my adult life.
We know the truths’ of it’s affects and we choose to stay with it or fight our way out; either way I’ll dive with any of you anytime, anywhere smoke free or not!
Dive Well!