11 months ago!

Well at least in two days it will be 11 months ago, that I finally gave up the habit of smoking.  It went relatively smoothly, and I had the help of a patch for the first 2 weeks.  I quit to enable myself to be able to have surgery to lose weight.  I wanted the RNY badly enough, that I was willing to give up a nasty habit that I had clung to for more years than I care to admit.

Last night, I saw a different benefit to the one I was originally going for, with quitting smoking.  I don't know how many of you actually know the song "Sold" by John Michael Montgomery, so I will add the video for it below.



You hear the part, where he doesn't breathe (the chorus) but just keeps singing?  "Hey pretty lady, won't you give me a sign ... " Well, I was out last night with a friend, and like we often do, we went to the bar to hear the band.  It was a lot of fun, I get a real kick out of watching the people on the dance floor that have zero rhythm.  Anyway, the band last night played this song.  Being one of my favorites, I sang along with them.  In the past, when I was still smoking, there was now way I could have made it through that chorus, without stopping and gasping for air!  Last night, I sang through it, and still had air to sing more!

It's a small thing to most people.  To me, it means everything.  I was a singer when I was 15-16 years old and loved it.  I learned how to breathe properly and project my voice, among other things.  When I was 17, my smoking habit got heavier, I was smoking in excess of a pack of day then.  In time, I lost my capacity for air, and certainly couldn't project my voice.  Not to mention, anyone hearing me sing now, after years of abusing my body both with cigarettes and adding weight, would want to run the other way.  But after last night, I have hope, that my voice will come back, much like my ability to breathe through a song and have enough air to finish the chorus.

Have a great day everyone.  I know I will be wearing a smile for most of the day!