I am Thankful

My parents are senior citizens and I am thankful they are both still alive and well. But so many relatives in my family are dead....and I think it is all because they smoked. My mon is the youngest in her family and her oldest sister (who is almost 86) is still alive. Neither of them ever smoked. All of their other brothers and sisters did....and they all died young. All of them smoked and died from either a heart attack or lung disease. Such a waste! I always feel grateful (and yet sad) when I get to spend Christmas and the other holidays with both of my parents. My first cousins are not so lucky.....They have not had a father for almost 20 years! I cannot imagine how I would have handled losing a parent at such a young age!

I know we all have our addictions. I am addicted to Massiel, the Internet, and food. There I will admit it....I love to eat! I am just thankful that I have never had to deal with the addiction of smoking cigarettes. I am not being judgmental or anything, but I have seen first hand how it has affected so many close relatives in my family.

Only one person in my immediate family (an in-law) smokes...and I am so worried. I don't want my little niece and nephew to not have a mother. I don't understand the addiction---I wish I knew how to help her stop!