“9 times.” If you’re an 80’s movie fan like I am, you’ll immediately recognize this quote as coming from Ed Rooney who was Ferris Bueller’s principal. And while that’s one of my all time favorite movies (Check out the ongoing series I’m writing of my favorite movies by year… here’s the latest: 1983) it’s not the reason I’m writing this post today. Today marks 9 years since I’ve quit chewing tobacco.
9 Years… Feels Like a Lifetime
9 years ago this morning at about this time, I spit out my last dip. It was the last time I ingested nicotine in any form. Since that morning I’ve not had so much as a puff of a cigar. I found strength and brotherhood in the people at KillTheCan.org and they became my lifeline. My wonderful Wife put up with me through all the withdrawal, the weight gain (which I’m still working on 😉 ) my hypochondriac tendencies and my general grumpiness.
But because she’d never dipped she could never really “get it”. The folks at KillTheCan.org did. They’re all addicts, going through exactly what I was going through. They taught me that I’m still just $5 and a bad decision away from a can per day habit. This is true even though I’m 9 years away from my addiction. It will always be true. I’ve accepted it.
For the past 8 years, we’ve been holding an annual KillTheCan.org get together in Pennsylvania. Check out pictures from last year’s event here. If there’s a better example of “Eat, drink and be merry,” I’m not sure what it is. I’m lucky that today, on my 9 year anniversary of being free, is the day that I travel to PA to join this meet. And while I’ll miss Wife and the Boys like crazy this weekend I can’t think of a better way to celebrate my freedom. With the people who’ve helped me achieve it.