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Share your quitting journey

Consider the Alternative

AnnetteMM
Member
5 11 90

Have you ever really looked at the list of people around you when this site shows you your latest acclaim? Maybe some you recognize from blogs and comments, maybe some don't post so much so you don't know them.

And then there are some who have a yellow banner over their picture. It reads: "Gone but not forgotten." I just noticed that today, just now. I clicked on some of the profiles, and each one has this paragraph:

"Gone but Not Forgotten. RIP - they leave a legacy of their quit journeys behind as road maps for future members, to prevent the pitfalls, provide the tools and show the hope and possibilities for success at overcoming this addiction at any age at any stage."

They weren't elderly. I saw pictures of young people, people my own age. And it kicked me in the gut so much I had to write about it.

We can die. That's the alternative to quitting. Dying.

 

I do not want a yellow banner over my face. I want to be an elder. For me, it's not enough to say Not One Puff Ever (NOPE). For me, it's not enough to say Smoking Is Not An Option (SINAO).   

I have to say NICOTINE = DEATH.

That's my truth. Because I want to live.

11 Comments
About the Author
I became nicotine-free on Christmas Day 2017. That's what I use as my quit date. I had smoked cigarettes for 45 years, then vaped Juuls for a few months before quitting cold turkey when I used up my supply of pods. I am a retired widow, living in Upstate NY.