My mother was a drug counselor who refused to ever even attempt to quit cigarettes.

She died at 62. I spent three years of my life caring for her at her end as she begged for cigarettes.

Her death broke my Dad, and I still care for him as he lives life as a hermit, fifteen years later.

I don't have children of my own, or maybe one unofficially adopted one.

I am willing to make a number of sacrifices for the ones I love. This resolve has been tested but not yet broken.

But I am a stoner and a drinker, so have not escaped the same traps exactly.

I am more mindful of the choices I make, or at least that is what I tell myself. I keep a close community of those that I love and trust.

Stay away from tobacco. And probably alcohol as well. (And the hard drugs, coke/meth/opiates, of course.)

I have been obese my entire adult life. This year I have lost 30 lbs so far. But my despair has grown as I am also unemployed, so that weight loss has stalled. I can get back to it and will. This post was a good wakeup call.