After reading a few recent blogs, I felt compelled to speak out, without calling out…
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How dare I ever smoke again.
Seriously, how dare I ever put a tobacco product to my lips and puff.
I swore an oath to myself and to this support group : Not one more cigarette, ever. I’ve honored my promise for over 900 days. I ride the Freedom Train quite often, and I blog and blog and blog to help newbies believe in an honest quit.
How dare I not have faith in what I’m saying and doing.
We have an Elder here who lost everything in a house fire. Everything. Furniture, clothes, keepsakes, pets…everything reduced to ashes and rubble! In the face of unthinkable loss and shock, do you know what she said? THIS WILL NOT MAKE ME SMOKE!
How dare I smoke over the most mundane things.
We have an Elder here who is battling cancer, and several who are battling gravely-serious illnesses. They refuse to smoke! You know what they do instead? They come HERE, and they open up their hearts and pour out the knowledge of their minds…for US. They come here to help SAVE US.
How dare I reward their efforts with an "I-don’t-know-any-better" choice.
We have an Elder who lost a sister, an Elder who lost a husband, and a few too many other funerals, too. All very recently. In their time of grief and sorrow, they all came HERE and vowed to NOT smoke, no matter what. In the face of death, itself, they REFUSED to smoke!
How dare I assume that I cannot be that strong, too.
You think YOUR triggers are monstrous and overwhelming? You might want to think again. We have HEROES here who have suffered WORSE, and REFUSED TO SMOKE. PERIOD. Further still, they come here with tears and sadness and hurt and pain and fear…and yet have the joy and desire and compassion to SHOW US HOW TO LIVE A REAL LIFE OF TRUTH AND COURAGE. That is stunning and remarkable!
How dare I disrespect that. How dare I dishonor these extraordinary teachers.
Listen, your efforts here are yours. You have to make your own choices. But, as for ME, I put my trust in the leaders who are GETTING IT RIGHT, each and every time, no matter what strikes them. No excuses, no loopholes, no exemptions, no special treatment. I accepted their path, I stayed true, I won for myself what they promised I could have, and I am standing beside them where they are.
You might wanna take a very hard look at where you‘re headed, too.
How dare we squander our time and energy - and life! - on anything less than TRUE RECOVERY.
STORM: 924
