~~Life is a gift! Today before you think of saying an unkind word, think of someone who can't speak. Before you complain about the taste of your food, think of someone who has nothing to eat. Before you complain about your husband or wife, think of someone who's crying out to God for a companion. Today before you complain about life, think of someone who went to early to heaven. Before you complain about your children, think of someone who desires children but can't have them. Before you argue about your dirty house, someone didn't clean or sweep, thing of the people who are living in the streets. Before whining about the distance you drive, think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet. And when you are tired and complain about your job, think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wished they had your job. But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another, remember than not one of us is without sin and we all answer to one maker. And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down, put a smile on your face and thank God you're alive and still around. Life is a gift, live it, enjoy it, celebrate it.~~ Unknown
Sounds good, doesn't it? But when you are in the midst of a crisis....when you are stressed to the max....when your heart is shattered into a million pieces.....this just won't fly. Nice words, of course, and yes it would be wonderful to remember how blessed we are. But we are also excruciatingly human! We lose sight of the blessings. We wallow in our pain. We hide from the uncomfortable.
Or at least, I did. Still do, sometimes. But most of all, I learn. I learn that I can get through even the toughest times because truly there is nothing else to do but to get through. I also learn that it is HOW I get through that makes all the difference in the end. I can cry, scream, refuse to get out of bed, shout at people.....OR I can wait it out, ask for help, breathe quietly through it until I'm on the other side.
Quitting smoking is a process that brings out the human in us. Addiction is just that way. It's how we get through that process that makes all the difference. It doesn't matter if you whine, cry, scream, or get ugly at people as long as you don't smoke. It doesn't matter if you are Mary Sunshine, Mother Theresa, or Buddha either. As long as you don't smoke. You simply have to get through the process without smoking!! Yes, they say that relapse is part of recovery. Yes, they say that there may be 'slips'. There doesn't have to be, of course, but again that's up to you. It's how you get through the process of quitting that gets you through to the other end....and the other is end total and utter freedom from addiction 
Life can be hard for us humans. Some events are earth shattering and everything we once thought can be changed in a heartbeat. We need time. Time to process, time to adjust, time to heal. Please don't ever think that you need to smile through life. You don't. You just need to be here. Excruciatingly human and perfectly imperfect. Time will take care of the rest.
Sheri
