- As Stengel would have said - "Who-da-thunk-it."
It's now been one year since I smoked my last cigar. Some of you may remember me writing about it in my column, "My Last Puff." Here is what I have learned along the way...
First, several people said I couldn't quit as they knew how much I enjoyed it. I even went on a fishing trip in North Carolina where my friends tempted me to smoke. They said, "After all, we're on vacation, right?", and there is nothing like a good cigar while fishing in the wild. Remarkably, I didn't take the bait.
I enjoyed cigars for 45 years, particularly when I was working in the office, mowing my yard, or talking with friends. Not surprising, there were many times this past year when I wished I could light one up, but I did not. Interestingly, I have friends who still smoke cigars, but before lighting one up in my presence, they ask if I would mind the smell. I lay their concerns to rest by inviting them to smoke. After all, I still love the smell, but as for me, no.
I am also not an overbearing anti-smoking advocate as I believe it is a personal choice for a person to make. It's like anything where you assume risk, and you have to live with the consequences, but I certainly do not look down my nose at anyone who smokes.
I also resent the obnoxious taxes applied to smoking. I am old enough to remember when a pack of cigarettes cost just 35 cents, and a "good" cigar was no more than a buck. This all began to change in the 1970's. Today, cigarettes are about $5.50 a pack and a good cigar is about $5.00. I find it amusing the government claims there is no inflation. At least I'm saving money for quitting.
On a serious note, I quit because I thought the time had finally come to do so. I didn't take any nicotine patches, nor hypnosis or special chewing gum; I just made up my mind to quit and that was it. People claim I have some rather strong will power. Maybe, but it just seemed to be the right thing for me to do, and here I am one year later, smoke free.
But I still love the smell of a cigar.
Also published with News Talk Florida.
Keep the Faith!
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Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 40 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
For Tim's columns, see: timbryce.com
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