"One year ago, on July 10, 2004 at 10:32PM I quit."

"I did not try. I did."

Try.

It’s a word we use a lot. For many things, trying is all that counts. For this terrible addiction of cigarette smoking, trying just doesn’t cut it.

I’ve set quit dates ever since I found out I was going to be a father, 10 years ago. My wife smoked at the time and quit instantly when she found out she was pregnant. I told her I would try to quit before the baby was born. The day of the birth of my daughter rolled around. I tried, for about 12 hours.

My wife went back to smoking after she was done breast feeding, because I did not try hard enough. It felt great having my smoking partner back. It was getting lonely out on our patio puffing my life away.

A few years later, I had noticed that I was becoming horribly out of shape. My daughter was 4 or 5 and I loved playing with her. But she became more active and chasing her around took more out of me. I tried that time for about 36 hours.

Two years later, my daughter started to play soccer, a sport I adore. I quickly decided to coach her and was surrounded by the most adorable group of little girls…who could all out run me. I tried again. Made it all of eight hours.

I finally realized I could no longer try to quit. Trying was nice. But to simply just try is to imply that there is the possibility of failure. To me, accepting that failure could happen insured that it would. The vile presence of nicotine in my system and its control of my brain made sure of that.

So, one year ago, on July 10, 2004 at 10:32PM I quit. I did not try, I did. It was the most difficult thing I have ever had to do. I have broken my back and had to recover from that. That recovery pales in comparison to the sheer effort, pain and intensity required of me to quit smoking.

When I started my quit, my plan was to quit on 7/11. For some reason, I found the number significant because that store is where I bought my cancer sticks. As I sat on my porch, smoking what turns out to have been my last cigarette the night of the 10th, I did not think about the fact that I had just quit, I thought I was quitting the next day. That head start was huge.

The key for me was that I quit on a Saturday night. I had a day filled with swimming with friends of ours (and our daughter’s best friend) that next day, friends who did not know I smoked. It was so important for me to stay busy like that and to have that distraction.

The next day was a Monday. I remember the feeling as I drove past the 7-11 where I always bought my packs, on the way to freeway. The feeling was “Well, I will cut to just one a day”. But I was not trying anymore, I was doing. I drove past and took a few deep breaths.

I got to work, and then something key happened to me. I found this website. I was searching around, trying to keep myself from thinking about going out for a smoke break. And I stumbled across it.

Here were people who did it. They didn’t try...they did!

And so, as I make my one year speech, as I knock down the door to the 7% club, I have two most important words to say.

Thank you.

I don’t recall who the first person was to respond to my first post with words of encouragement and support. I want to say it was Dave. But the posts kept pouring in. From our Queen Bee, Mistress Peel, Lady Godiva, Keith the Lounge Lizard. It was amazing.

And then, I met a quit partner and that was what solidified my quit. I was not going to let my Tiger down. It worked for me, tying my quit to her. And when she fell back to the nicodemon I was far enough along in my quit that I wanted to be there for her when she was ready to no longer try, when she was ready to do.

Were it not for this chat forum, I don’t know that I would be smober today. That’s pretty powerful. I have drifted away as the vile Sarbanes Oxley has taken away my ability to come and play. But this place, this forum, will forever be in my heart, weaved into the fabric of my life.

One year, 12 hours, 38 minutes and 18 seconds. 6213 cigarettes not smoked, saving $1,553.49. Life saved: 3 weeks, 13 hours, 45 minutes.

That’s what my quit meter reads right now.
That is amazing.
I remember hitting week one dreaming of ever seeing 1 year on my meter, and here it is.

I wanted long ago to write this really inspirational speech at my one year. But that's not me. I hope my experience can inspire at least one person to quit, not try, to quit. If I can do that, give back to the smoke free community, I would be so happy.

I know that many of you well wishers will come in and congratulate me on my one year. Thank you for that. But it is you who deserve the congratulations. It is your quit just as much as it is mine. You were all a part of my quit, a reason it is and has been successful. This is our quit, revel in it as I do. For those of you with whom I have never interacted, be proud of yourselves for your involvement with this forum, be proud of the support you provide others and for being brave enough, strong enough and determined enough to not just try...

"To the makers of cigarettes: I escaped you."