Smoke Above the Clouds

For anyone out there in cyber land who has made a resolution to quit smoking, I challenge you to DO IT NOW. It's one of the hardest, and the best, things you can do for yourself, for your immediate family, and for those with whom you spend your life. We all know the downs of smoking... it smells bad, affects your senses of taste and smell... makes you cough and hack... gives a less than positive impression to those around you. It's become increasingly unpopular to smoke, and most public places and businesses ban smoking on their premises. If you need any other reasons to consider quitting, check out this blog. Smoking isn't just about personal gratification. Smoking stays with you long past when you can care for yourself on your own. Residual affects of smoking last until you need serious medical care. Think about it. I know I did. I used to smoke. Somewhere in the mid-1990's I got a nasty cold, and I had a hard time breathing... and still I smoked... and the cold got worse and I found myself gasping for air... and I got scared. Scared enough to realize that I didn't want to live my life gasping for air... and I didn't want to die like that either. It'll be a long time (I hope) before I know if I quit soon enough. But I know that it was one of the best things I've ever done for myself, and my family. So, if you haven't quit, do it now.

Smoke Above the Clouds is from the Phillips Collection.