This post was originally written 6 years ago on the anniversary of my father's death as tribute to life, health, and longevity. I've rescued it from the chaotic clock of social media memories to live here and be read anytime. If this speaks to you, please take it in. Share as needed. Love yourself 🖤

Eleven years ago today, I lost my father to lung cancer. His death came on slowly, and it was entirely due to his lifelong smoking habit. Each year on November 5th I celebrate my father, and my relationship with him, by sharing a little bit of that love with the rest of my friends and family. Normally, it’s a reminder to forgive and make time for the ones you love. This year, my message is much simpler than that.

Quit. Smoking.

Quit because there are countless people out in the world with respiratory diseases and disorders who would kill to have your healthy lungs. Quit because you can still breathe easily, and that’s a miracle. Quit because you’re already having breathing problems, and you know that now is the time to make a change.

Quit because you can. Because you are bigger and better than a bad habit, and you can do anything you want to do.

Quit because you deserve to be healthy. To be able to take a full breath, and able to run when you want or need to. You deserve to be stronger and more resilient. To feel better every day, and not get old until you’re ancient.

Quit because it damages your sense of smell, and there are so many wonderful scents out in the world. Quit because great food tastes wonderful, and if you’ve damaged your ability to smell, then you’ve also damaged your ability to taste.

Quit because you don’t need it. Your cup of coffee, cocktail, dessert, dinner, conversation, post-coital moments, book, walk, or break will be just as good without it.

Quit because lung cancer is fucking awful. Because you don’t want to live life like my father’s last 5 years: surgery to remove half of a lung; multiple rounds of chemo; radiation to treat the cancer which spread to the lymph glands in his throat; procedures to stretch his esophagus so that he could continue to swallow food after the radiation had damaged his throat irreparably; living off of a feeding tube once the esophagus stretching was no longer effective; losing much of his ability to speak once the esophageal treatments started; and the heartache of having a big, brilliant mind that never slowed down, and never shut down, despite his body deteriorating around him.

Quit because I love you. And so many other people love you, too. We want to see you happy and healthy and living a good life for as long as possible. We deserve a long life with you in it just as you deserve a long life, too.