On Sunday, I hit 2,500 days Quit. A double-dangle and a half, in KTC parlance. It was something I was looking forward to celebrating.
The night before, my wife got a phone call. She was sobbing uncontrollably. She had to hand the phone to me. I ended up talking to out nephew for about 15-20 minutes...God, I don't know how long...just providing support as much as I could.
Our brother-in-law had killed himself on Friday night, and the new was just getting passed around the family.
I had to play in church on that Sunday. I was on electric guitar, and the set was pretty guitar-heavy. I could not let this stop me. I had to move forward. I came home to a wife who was utterly devastated by the loss of someone she had known for 38 years.
We wept together, we mourned together, we called in a pastor to help us with our grief on Monday.
And you know what? Even through all of this, neither she nor I thought one of grabbing a tin or a smoke.
That is the essence of being Quit. Of not just doing, but letting that entire consciousness of "I'm not like that anymore" flow through our minds and souls.
So today I hit 2,502. I will have to ensure a visitation on Friday and a Mass on Saturday. It is going to suck. My nephew held on to me yesterday evening and just wept uncontrollably at the loss of his Dad.
No matter what, nicotine will not cross these lips. It will help nothing.
Quit on...
