Love Myself – Day 21

To be ‘in love’ with one’s own qualities takes quite a bit of thought.  I mean there are the obvious – the eyes, the hair, the smile – all good.  But, I’m going to go out on a limb here and announce that I’m in love with something that many are going to go “WTF?!”  And that ‘something’ is my addiction.

I’ve been a smoker for over 30 years – God I can’t believe I’ve

Image via Wikipedia

said it out loud – but there you have it.  Now I’m not what you call your average smoker and I’ve tried to quit many, many times… I don’t smoke a pack a day.  In general a pack will last me 4 to 7 days.  Well… under the stress of the recent events in my life a pack might last me 2 to 3 days (maybe even less).  I did quite recently and was quite proud, thought I had it licked… but then with recent events I started right back up.

Now, according to my doctor, the amount I smoke is still damn good and she would rather take care of my anxiety and stress.  Besides my vitals are perfect and my pipes are clear.

That aside, what I mean by being ‘in love’ with this

Image by cobalt123 via Flickr

disgusting habit is that many don’t understand what it’s like to actually need a substance.  And, for me, first of all I inhaled on my very first cigarette – that’s right –  and I loved every bit of it.  I love the taste, I love the smell, I love everything about them.  But try quitting and that’s another monkey all together.

No, I love that I can show compassion for those who suffer addiction, any addiction.  Now, I’ll not enable them and I’m not going to excuse their behaviors; however, I will be understanding and without the judgment.

Anymore, people get downright mean, especially to us smokers.  It has become acceptable to treat us with humiliation (public humiliation) and rudeness just because. Which carries over to our homeless members of society or to anyone that isn’t fitting into what society says is “in” currently.  They reason that it is because we are offensive; really?

And when people find out that you are a smoker?  All of a sudden you get the look, you know the one I’m talking about.  All of a sudden they  are concerned for your life.  “Oh, I wish you would quit; why would you do that? It’s gonna kill you, and I’d hate to see you kill yourself.”  Really, you are concerned for my health?  Truly?  You hardly know me.

I think it is more in line with people wanting other people to be who they want them to be and to live the life that they want them to live.

I only ask that people step back and really think before they speak.  Remember, when I or somebody lights up we are not the ones who are offending you; only you have that power.  That is the way it is with everything.

Related articles

• Help to Quit Smoking With These Useful Tips (webmd.com)
• Menthol as Nicotine’s “Partner” in Cigarette Addiction (labsoftnews.typepad.com)
• Stop Smoking – Put together To Succeed (tfollowers.com)
• Survey: Most Smokers Want to Quit (webmd.com)
• Most American Smokers Want to Quit – CDC (inquisitr.com)