Cigarette smoking and life lessons….

Cigarette must be the only consumable which is officially permitted to be sold and consumed by any national government and carries an official warning ‘Cigarette smoking is injurious to health’. A large section of populace indulges in smoking knowing fully well that smoking may even lead to early and painful death. One can learn very important life lessons from these cigarette smokers if one wants to.

The first lesson is the importance of pragmatic planning and preparation for flawless execution of any task. In India, I can say with quite a bit of certainty that no parent will willingly allow their children to indulge in smoking, Still many kids succeed in their efforts of smoking. It is not easy, involves a great amount of preparation and planning before the first cigarette touches the lips.

Finding a reason to go out of home, buying a cigarette, a quick puff or two, the use of mouth freshner to subside the smell before reaching back home to evade getting caught by parents. Only an intelligent mind can plan, prepare and so smoothly execute such operation. Yes, the entire event is no less than executing a military operation. I wish more youngsters exhibit the same skills while planning their life, preparing for exams.

The second group of lessons a smoker gives is of persistence, perseverance, never giving up and practice makes one perfect. I do not think any first-time smoker likes the taste of tobacco and the feel of the smoke hitting the lungs and the throat initial few times. However, still persists till he or she develops a liking.  Even financial deficit does not deter him from following his taste. He does not mind borrowing to fulfil the urge; won’t leave it for any reason.

A smoker puffs and coughs but persists and perseveres till he becomes an expert. If someone can follow so passionately the habit of cigarette smoking, which apparently does not have any positive benefits than certainly many others can follow their dreams despite obstacles and stiff resistance being encountered at every corner. Following one’s dreams is certainly not harmful for health like cigarette smoking.

 The next important lessons a smoker imparts is of making sacrifices and perception management. He or she knows smoking is injurious to health but still does not give it up because he knows how important his smoking is for managing the economy of the country. His smoking ensures jobs for so many in the cigarette manufacturing chain right for tobacco growers, factory workers, transporters, retailers, hospitals and all others who are indirectly dependent on survival on sales of cigarettes.

The government collects so much revenue from the cigarette and associated industries and uses it to run welfare schemes for the poor. To some a smoker may be seen as working to hasten his own end but for others he is a nation builder; it is all a matter of perception. If a smoker can put his life at risk for the national cause the smaller mortals like me can certainly make smaller sacrifices of some sleep hours, some hard work and studies to fulfil our dream.

Possessiveness. You can separate a smoker from anyone and anything but not from his cigarette. He may forget to eat or even his spouse’s birthday or their marriage anniversary but will never forget to have his timely puff. The bond of love is so strong between a smoker and the cigarette. If someone can have such strong feeling of possessiveness for a cigarette than some others can certainly develop bonds of love with family, friends and dreams.

So, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls dream, perceive, prepare, make sacrifices, possess the qualities of perseverance, persistence and succeed (un)like smokers, but do not allow whatever you achieve to blow away in smoke avoid cigarette smoking.

PS – Dear smokers if you can be so possessive for something like a cigarette and persist and persevere through all opposition and hardships fully aware that smoking is capable of causing much more harm than any perceived benefit (does it have any benefit?) you certainly have the ability to achieve anything in life that you set your eyes on….Just give it a try….You have it any you…