Today is our thirteenth anniversary. Congratulations to me (and Emily)! We are doing so well and even have two great kids who are the product of our work. We are proud at the fact that they are often recognized as the best kids in the world ????.
Thirteen years is an accomplishment but today we are celebrating another anniversary, another accomplishment. It was one year ago exactly that we butted out. Yup, I was a smoker. And yes, I was a smoker as recently as one year ago.
For the vast majority of people in my life, you may have had an idea and now this is your confirmation. I smoked cigarettes for more than twenty years. For most of the past decade, I only smoked in very controlled places with a neurotic smoking ritual. I could go hours and sometimes days without a cigarette but when I got home my nicotine addiction would return with a vengeance.
I smoked in the greenhouse (when we had one) or behind my house when we tore the greenhouse down. I would don my smoking jacket and a glove and sneak around back to reload.
A year in the making!
This is probably one of my most anticipated blog posts. For years, I hid this part of me because I was ashamed. If you have been following along with these posts, then you have been witnessing my self de-shaming through my journey of becoming a healthier and more transparent decision-maker. I have always felt this is one aspect of my life that needs to be told because it’s part of my life that I deliberately hid for so long.
Last year, Emily and I went out to Port Renfrew for an evening to celebrate our anniversary. On our way back, we stopped to hack a dart on a side road and, as we were sitting there, we were talking about quitting.
“Let’s do it right now!” one of us said.
“Okay let’s do it!” said the other.
We did! That moment we extinguished a decades old habit, set aside a crutch and denied an addiction.
365 days clear. No puffs, no drags and no looking back. It saves us money but more importantly than that, it saved our lives!
Image by Alexas_Fotos from Pixabay
CONGRATULATIONS! on both counts. Well done.
Congratulations !
On the anniversary yes!
On quitting smoking yes!
On having kids that know they are great yes! yes!
Most of all on the de-shaming, on the transparency!
If we are going to have great government we need people who are courageously showing how humans are amazing! already great!
Thank you!
Congratulations Adam and Emily on your wedding anniversary. Thank you Adam for your leadership and transparency, not only in the House, but in your life. Your shared thoughts and comments are such an inspiration on making our lives better for ourselves and others.
Congratulations. Enjoying your blog.
HIi Adam
Good to see you last weekend!
A couple of comments on today’s post.
“product of our work” ?? Possible edit, “product of our love”!
“Hack a dart”. How descriptive that is!
SSI Howard
Yes true. Product of our love and lovely they are 🙂
Well done, both of you. My wife and I went through a similar experience when we both stopped smoking after decades in 1996.
How amazing!! Congratulations on reaching this one year milestone, Adam and Emily!
Congratulations on your anniversary . I will always remember that day . It was an honour to be part of the celebration
I quit smoking 11 years ago and many friends and family had no idea.
Love to both of you.
Jan
Woo hoo! Many people do not know that Jan Carroll, Sonia’s mother officiated our wedding. We are honoured that you played such an important part of our special day!
https://woodsmokepollution.org/personal-stories.html?fbclid=IwAR0Md3JpdyfkvvNPo5cGOhLUMMtZ-933PJ_D4en-Q2hUReyqCrEaPlaAcfM
Smoke is smoke – it is ALL toxic and so harmful, especially to children! please visit this site to see how many of your own constituents are suffering needlessly. Thank you .
This is outstanding Adam!
Congratulations to you and Emily for having conviction and vulnerability. Two rare qualities in the world today. You, your family and us are able to reap the benefits you being ALIVE! ????
It took me awhile to figure out but I guess the $5400 was the average you spent a year on cigs. Wow! What did you do with all that money? Ha. That doesn’t go that far these days—gas, bills, etc My parents smoked a good part of their lives 1938 on. I remember them paying a quarter for a pack of cigs or something like that.