Dear quitter,
I'm glad that you on a better track in life. I'm glad that you put down the crack pipe, bottle, cigarettes, caffeine or the cheeseburger. I'm enthused that you are taking the steps toward changing your life and righting the course of your future. Do me a favor though, shut up about it.
I once had a friend and he was addicted to smoking. After several attempts over several years he was finally successful in stopping. A few days after he quit I was riding shotgun in his car when we slowly drove by another car in two lane traffic. One of the two ladies in the car was smoking and she had the window cracked. My friend noticed the smoker and his happy content smile turned to twisted rage. He put his head out the window and barked "Cigarettes are fucking disgusting!" You mean the ones that you were chain smoking a week ago, those are disgusting? You mean the thing that dictated much of your social life for 8 years, those things are disgusting to you? I'm not arguing that cigarettes are bad, of course they are. It was just that I, a non smoker didn't even notice that the person was smoking whereas a former smoker did, and he had a shit fit about it.
Dear former abuser,
I don't interpret your vile exuberance as a sign of strength against your former addiction. I suspect that you are trying to ward off your own demons and the only way to do that is to be overly judgmental and condescending to the thing you fear the most. I see through the facade that you want to inspire others to put down the burrito. Idle hands are the tool of the devil, and if you weren't preaching to me the gospel of gluten free then you would be gobbling down goobers and gummy bears. Gain some control in your own life and when you do then come back and rejoin society.
I don't want to walk on eggshells around you and be fearful of bringing up a topic that you and going to go on an isolating self righteous rant about. Spare me the awkward pause and stare when I take a bite of cookie or a swig of coke. If someone asks for your advice because they respect your success and decisions in life be ready and willing to provide it, otherwise just keep it quiet. The rest of us in the muck and mire are having enough trouble making it through our daily lives without your incessant chirping from atop Mount Pious.
