Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Celebrate Life!!

Today is my 58 month anniversary of quitting cigarettes FOREVER!! I am so happy and so proud that I kicked the old demon nicotine squarely in the butt and out of my life.

I used the support website Quitnet (www.quitnet.com) - it worked! Here are my stats that came in my email today:

Your Quit Date is: Sunday, April 23, 2006 at 9:35:00 PM

Time Smoke-Free: 1766 days, 6 hours, 30 minutes and 7 seconds

Cigarettes NOT smoked: 26494

Lifetime Saved: 6 months, 22 days, 9 hours

Money Saved: $5,963.62

In this case, it is your money AND your life.

PS For those who are new to my blog - my quit date is also the birth date of my dear husband Tom - it was a gift to him and to myself to quit on that date.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Walking the Widow Road






The fiery widowed road is beyond the understanding of anyone who has not been forced to tread its path of pain and sorrow. In the early parts of the journey, there are days that death seems preferable to continuing to arise and face another morning.

Slowly oh so slowly - we heal - slowly oh so slowly - we create a new life. In my early widow years it was inconceivable that life could EVER be joyful again.

Slowly oh so slowly - we put one foot in front of the other on the devastating widowed road. There comes the day we first smile and immediately feel guilty - "he is dead", what is wrong with me?!

There are days we feel we can face life with some optimism and ten minutes later we fall into the deep, black hole of tears and hopelessness. Somehow, we manage to dig ourselves out of the ravages (over and over) to face another day.

One day at a time - one foot in front of the other - the beat goes on - somehow.

The journey brings many lessons, real lessons, not words - they have become the values that guide my life.

Love is all that matters.
We have nothing but this moment in which we stand
Material things are transitory at best
Take no person for granted
Never leave those you love in anger
A person can withstand more pain than one ever imagined
True friends stand with you - no matter what!
Kindness and time are the greatest gifts we can give


Now in my seventh year of widowhood (six years in November) I have found a companion. A man who has walked his own widowed road. Slowly oh so slowly we are developing a deep, deep care for one another. Slowly oh so slowly I am opening my heart to the possibilities. Slowly oh so slowly I am coming to the place that I can say from very deep in my heart and soul - how I feel. Stay tuned for more......