It boggles my mind sometimes that so many people still smoke. With all that we know about how bad it is for you, with all the disgusting commercials out there, with the nasty smell and gross teeth it is shocking to me that people continue to choose to suck on their little death sticks. Now, I try not to be too judgmental (at least not out loud) and I don't hate the person... just their filthy habit.On to why I am bringing this up right now. I went to visit a friend in the hospital on Saturday. As I approached the entrance I noticed a lot of people sitting outside. As I got closer I smelled the smoke and thought how unfortunate that the area for smoke breaks was at the hospital entrance, where many non-smokers had to pass by. Then I looked closer and noticed a man standing there with his IV drip and hospital gown, standing there smoking. Just past him was a woman in a hospital wheelchair and gown taking a drag. I quickly tried to pass through the smoke mine, clutching Emery and wishing I had my camera so I could blog about this crazy scene (even if I had my camera, I doubt I would have had the guts to take a picture, it was just too creepy being there). I know smoking is addicting and people NEED their smoke breaks but to see them at the hospital and in their gowns was just too much for me. Regardless of the reason their were there, even if it was a car accident and had nothing to do with smoke related ill-health, it just didn't seem right to see sick people smoking.
In other smoking related news, my sister came back through Vegas on her way home from Disneyland and wanted to have dinner together last night. It was fun to see her and the kids and hear all about her trip. Since my sister lives in Happy Valley, her kids lead a pretty sheltered life and this trip introduced them to some interesting sights and people. My sis was telling us how her 4-yr-old would point (mind you, she uses her middle finger when she points - just so you can picture this a little better) at every person she saw smoking and said "Mommy he's smoking, he's gonna die." My sister had to try to teach her that it is their choice and we don't point but say a little prayer in our heart for them. I thought it was a pretty funny story but it also made me think.
I hate smoking. I think it is disgusting and stinky and foul and rotten and nasty. I saw those people smoking at the hospital and thought how gross and sad and pitiful. Now, I hear about my neices passing judgment on smokers as well. So, I started thinking/worrying about how I can teach my daughter that smoking is bad but not to judge those who smoke. And the lessons don't stop with smoking. There's lessons about tattoos and immodest clothing and drinking and swearing and pornography and...... How overwhelming is it to be a parent today and how hard will it be to teach a child to be strong and good but to still love and not judge those who aren't? How can I teach this when I am not the best at it myself?
This is why I am so very grateful for the faith I have, the church I belong to with the help of leaders and guidelines to teach our kids. Because the world is a scary place and it freaks me out that I am trusted with this little child. I am just glad I am not alone, because it is too overwhelming.
18 comments:
I agree, altough I hear smoking does make you skinnier. That is the only reason I can figure people smoke. That is crazy but I beleive it about people smoking at the hospital. It is a crazy world and I wonder how to teach Abby some of the same things without offending people.
Two thoughts...
One: I couldn't help but think of a friend doing his residency telling me how weird it was to leave work and see a 5 or 10 doctors on smoke breaks during their shifts....
Two: One of Melbo's old co-workers in Vegas saw Super Size Me a few years ago and scolded another co-worker for eating fast food one day... just before she herself stepped out to feed her chain-smoking habit. Ha.
The hospital I used to work at in Vermont was right next to the University's campus, and there was a no smoking policy on the hospital's campus. So anyone, including patients -- even if they were in a gown and a wheelchair -- had to go off hospital property, across the employee shuttle zone to the university's property if they wanted to smoke. So we saw it all the time, but I just think it must have been embarrassing for them all because all the hospital employees sitting waiting for their shuttles looked strait across the road the the pitiful little smoking zone. I have no idea if they purposefully set it up that way, but I thought it to be pretty ingenious.
And I agree about raising kids in this scary world ... so nice to have the church!
Smoking sucks. My grandpa died of lung cancer. He was a chain smoker until he joined the church when he was 45. The craziest scene for me is smokers on a really hot day, because there is nothing more refreshing when its 100 degrees than a nice smoke. The US has tons of smokers but Europe (Italy in particular) totally surprised me. I never saw so many smokers in my life and most of them were young teenagers.
I can't think of anything more disgusting than smoking. I will never in a million years understand why people start doing it. I understand why they continue(it's addicting), but why they start, I will never get it.
I'm not looking forward to teaching kids how not to be judgmental about things like that...I'd say lead by example, but sometimes I'm not the best example setter.
I loved this post.
It's just a sad state. I get so angry at smokers- their stink, their smoking in air that I am breathing after all the efforts I have made to keep my lungs beautiful, their wreckless behavior towards their body, etc.
However, I know smokers and they aren't bad people and so I really have to reign in my knee-jerk "all smokers are evil" response.
BUT, nothing ticks me off more than seeing pregnant women smoking or people smoking near their children. I can not have any sense of compassion when they obviously have ablsolutely none for their own babies. That is when I give out the dirty looks.
Oh, I hate how just walking past leaves the smell in your hair. I am so bad, I taught Braden to start coughing REALLY loudly whenever we walk by a group smoking, it also bugs really bad when it is right by the door to a store or something!
Ali, your last comment on my blog has been making me laugh all day each time I think about it!
I agree completely with you, and sympathize too. I hate having to walk tunnel of smoke, especially with a little one in tow. I also have been thinking lately about teaching Austin, and eventually Cali, about tough topics. Austin came in the room the other day with one of his little rockets of something from a toy in his mouth and said it was a "smoking thing". I didn't know what to say. We had a little chat about what it was and that it's so gross, but there are SO many other things that I've been having to talk to him about too. It's tough to find the right words but you just have to turn every day experiences into teaching moments. Thanks for the thoughts.
Ugh! There's nothing like moving to Vegas to make you realize how filthy the world still is, and not just because of smoking. I loved this post. I worked with a lady who was the sweetest thing ever, but a serious chain smoker. I was three months pregnant and could barely stand to be in the same room with her, and I couldn't believe how much work time she wasted out on smoke breaks.
Your dilemma reminded me of the lesson at church and how we can teach our kids about chastity and modesty when there are naked billboards all over town. I don't want Gavin to grow up in a bubble, but I don't know how I'll explain it all to him, either. Kids are such black and white thinkers - how can you teach them that people's actions are bad without condemning the person, too?
Wait until you have teenagers, and you have to have talks about kissing, and dating, and where to draw the line because while you realize that kissing is a totally normal thing to want to do, you also don't want your kids to do it! AHHHHH! Seriously, it sucks. (And saying that word is totally against the rules in our house, but I had to say it!)
When my older siblings were going to Mountain View, they had a smoking area. Not just for teachers, but students too. Crazy, huh? You're right, our society has come along way with all the smoking bans for health reasons, but people still do it. So sad.
Thank goodness we only have to take this parenting thing one day at a time. I understand now why it's so important to pray not only morning and night, but constantly. It's the only way we can know what and how to teach our kids. It's a comfort to know that we're never going to be alone on those hard conversations when they come.
I knew some girls in high school who decided that once 18, just because they COULD, decided to start smoking. What is wrong with people?!! Smoking is not even like drinking, where it "might" make you sick enough to die. If you smoke regularly it WILL eventually kill you! Then again, I'm just lucky enough that I never had friends asking me if I wanted a cigarette.
Amen to everyone! I don't understand how doctors, nurses, or patients can stand outside a hospital and smoke. Blows my mind.
have you ever seen someone with a hole in their throat from cancer putting the cigarette in the hole to smoke it? i have and it's the sickest, most sad testament to the slavery of addiction. yuck
Dude! Don't you just feel like everyone smokes. I do. And, now I am in my OB/GYN rotation. You would think pregnancy people would stop smoking. So many people still smoke. And, then there are a lot of people who quit for pregnancy. Hello that is like 9 months, they have to have gotten over their addiction. Once they are no longer pregnant...they start right back up again. So silly!
Amen, Amen and AMEN!
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