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gregp136
Member

Sunday Night On the Playground

So it is Sunday night.  I am sitting on the swing.  Not really swinging, but just sitting, moving back and forth a little.  Sunday nights are like this on the playground.  The weekend is coming to an end.  People are getting ready for school or work.  Families are doing family things, and well, some of us are kinda stuffed from a big Sunday dinner. Sunday night is always a laid back kind of time.

 

But that is okay, because that also makes it good thinking time.

 

A light breeze is blowing, and with it getting only up to the mid 60’s today, well, it is a bit cool.  A few kids are on the merry go round, talking, but not going real fast.  Others are in the sandbox.  I also see some new people, hanging around the entrance.  They want to come in, but like I was, they are fearful of what being nicotine free might mean.  They are wondering if they will just fail again.  Or if coming to this playground will really help.  I remember so many things going through my head when I first entered the playground.  It seems like just yesterday.  And it also seems like years ago.

 

So as I sit on the swing, I think of all the differences of all of us on the playground.  We all have one thing in common.  We are addicted to nicotine.  That is where the similarities end.  We all have different reasons for wanting to quit.  We all have different things that make us want to smoke (watch out for pineapple upside down cake).  We all need different things that will help us stay on our quit.

 

And that is what I find to be so wonderful about this playground.  When someone comes in, everyone comes together to help.  But they all come in offering different advice.  They are all coming from different places.  The person who came in looking for help takes what they need, and leaves the rest.

 

And everyone is okay with that.

 

Let me say that again.

 

Everyone is okay with that.

 

There is no competition.  There is no concern that someone used Sally’s advice and not Rob’s.  No one cares who helped get someone through the rough times.  Everyone comes together to celebrate it regardless.

 

This is what makes our playground so great.  There are no egos.  It is only about helping.  I only wish the world I am normally in was as wonderful. 

 

And that is why, on a slow Sunday night, I am sitting on the swing.  Not really swinging, but just sitting, moving back and forth a little.

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10 Replies
MePlus3
Member

Beautifully written! I wish the world around us were the same as here as well! We have many different people here from all kinds of walks of life coming together as one with one thing in common quitting smoking we extend our hands and overtime some people even take one another's heart and carry one another through this journey! There are short, tall, black, white, indian, mexican, old, young, and many more but we come together as if we're all the same! I love this place and our new playground that you created. We now have a "go to" place when were happy, sad, or just need a laugh or a shoulder those times when sickerettes used to be our go to we've moved to a newfound place of freedom and I couldnt be more thankful! Again beautifully written blog!

YoungAtHeart
Member

I will say it again:  what a wonderful addition you have become to our playground.  People come and go and leave barely a ripple - but you have made a WAVE ---

SO happy to have you here!  Swing away!  SOAR!

Nancy

MarilynH
Member

Thanks Greg for this awe inspiring blog post, you have a way with words that is totally spell binding and absolutely wonderful, I agree with Nancy that you've made a huge wave here and we're so glad you are here with all of us your friends and fellow Exers.

Jennifer-Quit
Member

You know what?  I really like Sunday evenings - the relaxed feeling.  Chores done....Nice dinner...Chatting with friends....it's all good!  I think of the EX site as a wonderful "melting pot" of personalities and ideas.  It takes us all to make the EX-World go round!  I am really craving a Pineapple Upside Down Cake - but not a smoke - Thank Goodness!

JACKIE1-25-15
Member

Wonderful blog.  Thank you for taking the time writing it.  Simply beautiful expression. Thanks for sharing your gift with us.  I was there in the playground, not doing anything but watching and listening to you telling me what was happening.  Amazing. Giulia‌ , would you please consider this for the Best of EX?

Giulia
Member

JACKIE1-25-15‌  I'll put it on the list.  I've got a bunch of them now that people have mentioned.  Just have to get a Best of Ex Advisory Board together.  Will start work on that this week.

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dwwms
Member

Beautifully said gregp136‌. We're all here with just one goal - to be smoke-free and to help and celebrate with others seeking the same. Everyone has their own perspective, everyone has their own quit - none are exactly alike. Certain things speak to certain people and that's fine - whatever it takes. Glad to be on this journey with all of you!!

Doug

Bree19
Member

Have I said this yet?  

I LOVE the playground metaphor - I happily have only good memories of our park and playground growing up.  You make me go to a safe, peaceful, non-threatening place in my head and I physically relax when I read those blogs of yours and visualise all of us different folk, different journeys, backgrounds, expectations - all playing together with LOTS of laughter.

Thank you for sharing your amazing imagination with us gregp136 

Bree 70DOF

elvan
Member

gregp136‌ What a beautiful blog, when I was starting, we had weekly blogs through the desert with OldBones-Larry‌ leading us on the caravan...I cannot tell you how much that helped me and NOW, we have a playground, it is a great analogy and we are all coming together and laughing and crying (people do skin their knees now and then), and we know that we are all there for each other.

I don't think you are  WAVE, Greg, I think you are a tsunami...a GOOD one that helps everyone to see and FEEL the support.

Ellen

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