~~As human beings, our job in life is to help people realize how rare and valuable each of us really is, that each of us have something that no one else has--or ever will have--something inside that is unique to all time. It is our job to encourage each other to discover that uniqueness and provide ways of developing its expression.~~ Fred Rogers, The World According to Mr. Rogers
It's a lovely sentiment, isn't it? At least I think so. And it's what I like to do in life. Sometimes I do it well and sometimes it falls terribly flat. But that's ok.
What this quote doesn't quite say is that you have the right to reject my opinion that you are rare and valuable. You have the right to say that I am wrong. You have the right to totally dismiss anything I attempt to pull you into.
Including smoking. I want you to see how much more life you'll have if you quit. I want you to know life is truly beautiful without smoking. I want you to know that of course you can quit!!!
But you have the right to reject that. And everytime you exercise your right to smoke, a little piece of my heart goes with tyou. Because I know how much effort you will have to put into your next quit. I know how secretly bad you feel about smoking after quitting. I know that you wish for different even though you chose the same.
You have that right. But I will be here, over and over again, reminding you that you are rare and valuable. Reminding you that you have sometime unique for all time and no one else in the world will ever be able to replace you. So please think about that. And know that I mean it. It may be flowery words...dramatic effects....but it comes from a good place in my heart. I want you to live.
But I can't quit for you and I respect your right to reject my words. Your quit is entirely up to you and I hope you treat it as the precious gift it is rather than a punishment you hate. But if you chose to smoke, I am not going to hate you or feel disappointed or offended. It is not in my nature to hold you to standards I didn't always hold to either.
Andy Warhol once said "When people are ready to, they change. They never do it before then, and sometimes they die before they get around to it. You can't make them change if they don't want to, just like when they do want to, you can't stop them". Sounds harsh but it is true. We can give you the tools, but you have to chose to use them.
I would rather be flowery than harsh....but only because it helps me function in my sometimes ugly work world. Either way, I care and I will continue to care whether you smoke or not.
Just my thoughts for the day.....
