If you had a parent that smoked cigarettes when growing up you most probably asked them to stop. You pleaded and cited all the reasons for quitting, namely illness. Odds are that the response was, " I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."
The problem is, the smoker (user) is not the only one who crosses that bridge. In fact, it is the smoker who gets off easy.
Your response at this moment would be that the smoker suffered or died. Yes. Suffering is short term, death is a relief and if you believe in the After-Life, the pain has ended and has become a Joyous Homecoming. You suffered as well as you helplessly consoled and nursed your parent or loved one. The sick receive something for pain such as morphine, but you, you receive nothing during the excruciating moments that you could not take away the suffering; the moments that your loved one suffered and you felt it tenfold;not during the course of disease, nor after when your real pain begins because you can no longer physically hold your loved one. Your life continues with the hole created by death, a hole in your whole family, your wholeness of self, a hole in happy occasions that you had always dreamed of sharing with your loved one.
They crossed the Brige when they came to it and so did you.
It is a time to consider that our weaknesses and our choices affect others far more intensely that we want to believe. Our weaknesses beyond and including smoking. Perhaps we allow others to hurt us, to use us, to manipulate us into selflessly giving without respect or receiving in return. Maybe we use prescription drugs, diet pills or alcohol excessively. Or it is possible that it could be the innocent weight gain which turns into several health issues.
Our Brige that we will come to is our Legacy, our gift that we will leave to others. Will we build a Bridge that shows our unconditional love for others or our need to feed our selfs? Will our Legacy that lives on enhance humanity or will it continue the same inherited beliefs and behaviors, the Legacy that caused us excruciating and unnecessary pain and suffering? It is possible to begin to create a world of unconditional love, a world of respect and consideration. It takes just one step. It takes one decision at a time. It takes only one moment at a time. What will you make of this moment?
