A reader warns the younger generation of the effects of cigarette usage.
I am disabled and use a mobility device and oxygen due to emphysema, which was caused by my 30 years of cigarette smoking. I quit before my diagnosis, but it was too late.
One of the biggest issues concerns questions or comments from others. When I hear ignorant remarks from adults, I consider the source and move on. But I’d like to add something to your information when it’s a child who wonders. I always answer the child. Most recently, I shared a table at a Japanese restaurant with a family who had a daughter who looked to be 8 or 9 years old. When I left, I got onto my scooter, and the child asked me why I needed it.
I told her the truth: I had smoked when I was younger, and I ruined my lungs, so I can’t walk very far or for very long now. I tell that to children every time.You are making rainbows out of clouds and saving lives. By continuing to use your own suffering to help others not suffer, you will live a life filled with joy and compassion.“How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology -- featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation -- is available as a paperback and e-book. VisitIf you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.
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