I find myself turning into one of THOSE people
We all know the ones
When we were still smokers it was the people who flippantly said that they quit smoking. They said it was easy. They said "I just put them down and never picked them back up" They said that "It was easy" "It really isnt that hard" They said that I could quit if I wanted to.
I thought THEY were liars!!! I thought they hadnt smoked as long as I had or didnt smoke as much as I did. I wore that 17 years as a badge of honor, like a purple heart. A testament of my addiction. I said "I have been smoking so long that I could not quit and not kill people" That was my sheild and I hid behind it very well. It was my balls and chains that I had been draggin around for so long that I could brag about the muscles that had developed in my leg because of it.
Then I dropped the habit. I "put them down and never picked them back up" It wasnt "as hard" as I thought it would be. No that isnt right, it was hard. I was just stronger. I didnt realize I had the strength to quit and now I know.
So I see people in the gas station spending over 5 bucks a pack to feed an addiction that has convinced them that they are weak and I want to tell them that it is easier than they are scared it is. Sometimes I do say something and I get the "well she wasnt a heavy smoker" look or the "she wasnt as addicted as I am" stare. Or the wide eyes betraying thoughts of homicide due to withdrawls. I want to tell them it will be ok. They are stronger than their addiction.
But I know they wont listen...
