~~Be the reason someone feels welcome, seen, heard, valued, loved, and supported.~~ tinybuddha.com
That's what this site did for me. Made me feel welcome. And I will be forever grateful. Because I learned how to quit here. I learned coping skills and I learned triggers and I learned support. I learned I had things to contribute even if I relapsed and I learned I had things to learn even after I thought I learned it all.
And then I left here and actually did what I learned. I quit. Over 7 years ago now. I'm still thankful and I'm still in awe of my quit and I'm still learning each and every day things that make me better.
It wasn't the url that gave me the tools and it wasn't some invisible cybersite. It was the people. The remarkable, brilliant, perfect people here!! Some are still here and some left and some unfortunately have passed on but I was totally surrounded by people who cared enough to reach out to me. To talk with me. To encourage me.
I never took this for granted and if I could, I would spend each and every day thanking you from the bottom of my heart. My quit means everything to me because that's where I found my true self. In my quit. I am capable and I am intelligent and I am funny and warm and silly and kind.....and I didn't know all this until I quit.
So thank you, Ex!! Thank each and every one of you. Thank you Giulia and thank you pir8fan and thank you JonesCarpeDiem and thank you Thomas3.20.2010 and thank you Rick_M and thank all of you for making at least one person (that would be me!) feel like she could quit. That she would succeed. That she was worth it. To this day it means the world to me! I haven't named you all but you know. You really KNOW how I feel about ya
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And to those who came after my quit, I am so thankful for the welcome back! So grateful that you are still here, cheering, coaching, supporting!! Oh, my goodness how you make a difference! They may not tell you. You may not see it. But you do, I promise. Every kind word matters here. Every wise post. Every shoulder offered. Every hand held out. You bridge the gap between a smoker and a quitter. You give hope. You lead. You light the way. Much love to all of you!!
During this marvelous holiday, I truly wish all of you a very peaceful, happy Thanksgiving!! You are heard. You are seen. You are valued. And you are very loved.
Hugs,
Sheri
