Spiritual Endeavor

Cigarette by lanier76

I don’t say this with sarcasm or with a husky Harvey Fierstein voice. I have never been a smoker. I was around it enough with my mother. She even smoked when I was in her womb. She swore that if she didn’t I would have been a 10-pound baby. I came out about 7 pounds and some change. I think she exaggerated. To the nonsmoking establishment it may seem strange to say I think smokers are some of the friendliest people I have met, but I find this to be very true.

I just went out to our patio at work to eat in the sun. In no less than 2 minutes I was in conversation with a woman smoker. After coming in, a guy whose office I pass every day was walking up the stairs behind me. He was a smoker too. He and I had a mini-conversation about how long he has worked here. I guess I attract friendly people. I tend to calm those who may otherwise not be. I also am very open and will have a conversation with anyone if I am not too tired, and even then I will probably say Hi at the very least. People can sense if they are being judged on their behaviors, even smoking. I don’t like to judge ’cause I don’t want to be judged for being the crazy person that I am. The devil’s advocate inside me wants freedom of choice and expression. That generally will outweigh any dislike I may have for various behaviors.

I learned about smokers being friendly early on. My mom and I, when we worked together, would go on smoke breaks. Other fine friends of mine I would follow for the 5- or 15-minute break depending on how stressful things were. Maybe I am a closet secondhand smoker? It was always nice to feel included even if I wasn’t a smoker. In 7th grade I would hang out with the stoners and smokers even when I didn’t partake. I guess I gave off a vibe of not really fitting in and all of us on the outside “smoking” were always looking in on what so was not cool about everybody else. LOL Not that I didn’t get ridiculed all throughout my young adult life on how I smelled like an ashtray. Sadly I didn’t get the nicotine fix to quell the pain I felt from being called out for something that was not under my control. *tear* I guess the good news is that I will never have to try to quit. : )

I don’t think smokers are the only friendly people in the world, but they are some of the first that will hold a door, have a chat, and offer something of value to them (a cig or lighter).

My friends come in various shades of smoke. Non-, Social-, Frequent-, I am going to die if I don’t have one now. All are warm, very friendly, would give their last smokes to you or share. So I say smoke up or at the very least say Hi to your fellow human. Smoker or Not!

Love and Hugs,
Jen