Don't Live Your Life in Chains

[Breakinchains]

There are probably thousands of examples that people could come up with here. One story I like to tell is about my friend and his wife. They have one son who is 11 yrs old. Anyway, we got together on a weekend several months ago. We decided to go bowling on a Saturday. So we get to the bowling alley. My friend is not a smoker, his wife is. He asks if she wants to bowl? She says "No, I think I'll just go and get everyone some food." So we start to bowl, she comes back about 20 minutes later, with some nachos. It didn't take 20 minutes to get the nachos, my friend and I saw her go outside to smoke, so did her son, unfortunately. So we keep bowling, and eat some nachos, and in the course of the next hour or so we see her go outside another two or three times. I had been quit for a while when this happened, and so it was very clear to me exactly what was going on. I think we saw her for about 15 or 20 minutes in an hour and a half.

Was she doing what she wanted to do? I think she wanted to spend time with her husband and her son, but the addiction controls people. Don't let it control you. Quit, and live the life you want to live!

[laura132]

Just wanted to thank you for sharing. Your point is very well made! Bravo.

Im a quitter not a loser~

Laura

[EllenMT]

Nicotine addiction just steals your life, your time, your looks and your soul.  Once we drop those chains of addiction we can really see and experience our world. Great Blog!

[Julia_Amy]

Interesting thing happened to me last week.  My younger sister (and only sister who smokes) came to my house over night.  She always smoked far less than I.  She had her two daughters with her so she would go outside to smoke.  I was absolutely stunned at how often she was gone and for how long.  Wow, I was worse!  Plus, her daughters (5 and 6 yrs old) told me the places she had gone to smoke on their vacation. She has not been honest with them about smoking.  The only one who believes no one knows they're smoking is the smoker!  Even my little nieces knew.  I told her I thought it better to be honest, not smoke in front of them but stop denying smoking than to lie...teach them to smoke (or worse) AND to lie about it.  Not good.  Furthermore, she just may quit if she has to fess up to the truth.  I'm not judging her...as I said, I was WORSE, unbelievable! 

[dvolgenau4]

So true..been there done that ..and I see it all the time , with bf and his kids he is in garage right now and has been a large part of the day. Someday he will come around hopefully i will be an  inspiration or can be their for him when he does quit . thanks for sharing.

[loveoflyfe43]

This blog hit the nail on the head.  When I was still smoking, that was all I could think about.  I hated to be around people who didn't smoke, or who I didn't want to know that I smoked.  I smoked mostly in my home so I couldn't wait to get home, so I could smoke my evening away.  Couldn't wait for weekends, because all that meant to me was extra time to smoke.  This addiction is out of this world, and I didn't realize how bad I had it, until I decided to quit.  I would set all these quit days, and they would come and go...this last time, I just made up my mind, there was no earth shattering prediction or anything, I just simply got tired of being so dependent upon those little sticks to get me through life...But, yes you do miss out on a lot running out to take those smoke breaks..