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Love this post.

Funny I don't remember exactly the first time , but I remember at the grocery store where I always bought my groceries . The last thing before paying was getting my cigs . I do remember a day when the grocery clerk asked if I wanted my usual brand ( she was a smoker too ) and I said no thanks , I quit ... but that time was different , she heard it before but this time I said it with pride as I remember it was well into my quit and I felt confident and proud . I guess she wondered why I wasn't asking for them anymore and could tell I was a different person . There are many firsts . I loved it when my finger nails were no longer yellow and I could get a manicure

Ten plus years has passed for me and I've begun to forget tbh the irrational behaviours . I focus more on today which is a life free of all those ties . Reminders though of how far we've come are good time to time . I read through though this thread and was instantly reminded of smoking in the hospital especially right after surgery . I'd had hip replacement and no sooner awake from anesthetic wanted my fix . Determined , I got one of the nurses to take me out in the wheelchair and within a couple puffs thought I'd pass out . A complete stranger escorted me back to my floor , which I didn't even know what floor I was on due to the anesthetic still not worn off . Not long after though I wanted to go again . This time the nurse stayed and brought me back . How pathetic was I . I always joked that smokers healed faster cause we needed our fix . Other times in the hospital I would give money to strangers to buy a pack and even pay a cab to bring me some to the hospital if I was anywhere close to getting low . Did that on stormy winter nights too . Pd triple plus tip . I lit cigs on the stove when I couldn't find a lighter or would walk to a neighbors who smoked to borrow an extra lighter . My gosh the anxiety not having a lighter or a match . I don't miss that . I was always double checking when I left home wondering if I left a lit cig in the ashtray and go douse them in water for safety . Gross . Having lived through a fire it was always on my mind so needed to double check every time I left home . Glad I don't need to do that anymore . Oh the crazy behaviours ! All stress causing behaviours ! Smoking causes tremendous stress ! It's nice to be free .

I haven’t had anyone offer me a cigarette since I quit. However I am accosted by strangers bumming for one every time I am out and about. But that was pretty normal beforehand. It doesn’t bother me. Though I am extremely proud to say, “No, I don’t smoke.” It makes me feel good and so very happy when I hear myself say those words.