Swimdad’s HOF Speech – Doing Just Fine Without It

Well, I’ve made it 111 days now without feeding the nicotine monkey on my back. The monkey isn’t gone but is considerably weaker.

The worst single thing that has happened to me in life is starting the nicotine habit. Hands down. Nicotine weakens a man’s mind, body and soul. This drug ruins relationships, causes a man to lie to himself. Essentially incapacitates his ability to see the truth about any aspect of life while using the drug. And, worst of all, makes him feel powerless to quit and take control of his life.

Nicotine kills the free will given to a man by God himself. Thus placing the soul in extreme danger. In my case, I could never wrap my mind around God speaking to me. So many others claim God speaks to them and guides them and has a purpose for each man. God had one message for me for years, “Quit Tobacco”, and I did’t want to hear it. So I quit on a theory that if I could clear my guilty conscience I could better hear God on other matters. I can’t say I have been enlightened on other matters yet but I can say it’s pretty darn nice not to feel guilty 24/7 and 111 days is only a start on the long road back home.

While most of the credit for saving me, at least for a while, from the depths of despair goes to God, there are a few on here I would like to acknowledge.

Athan reached out first and gave me good advice to get as many contacts established as possible. It was good advice. Athan has stayed with this group the whole way. I’ve talked to him a couple of times and texted a few. I don’t know the man but consider him a friend and would help in a pinch any day.

Srohde reached out to me when I got in an early tussle with a couple of younger addicts. Subject doesn’t matter because it was ALL addict speak at the time. Srohde PM’d me and I him. He supported me below the line for 80 or 90 days. I never thanked him for that. He probably thinks I didn’t notice but I did. So Thank You Srohde.

Bluemanchew texted me every day in the morning for at least 80 days. Like clockwork. Stating how many days he had quit. I responded in kind. Just that. No hugging or anything. But it helped.

Skol and KD seemed to have taken some interest in my quitting the drug. Which brings me to my last point. This site seems corny at first and it is. Using the word “quit” incorrectly, imaginary train trips, silly emoticons etc. are all corny and opposite the “cool” that made me start this drug in the first place. So my advice to new site members is take the corn, drink the Kool-aide. We are all literally fighting for our lives here and, like it or not, we are a family of sorts. So join the fight, save your soul and act a little silly now and then. Corny is better than cool.

For those of you who are thinking about quitting hear this. Your God given free will is stronger than one of the most addictive substances on the planet. Use your free will to join this site. Post roll. Build relationships. Throw evil into the light (it hates that), Stop putting tobacco in your mouth. Save your soul.

I am very proud to have quit tobacco. I am scared of it. I can’t say I’ll never use it again. But I can say I won’t use it today because I told you guys I wouldn’t. And that, my friends, is how you make it one hundred and eleven days.

NOTE: This piece written by KillTheCan.org forum member swimdad