Comments on: Teach Your Children Well

by: JIM LINDSEY

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 19:12:20 +0000

I do not want the light hearted poem, written to a smoking friend many years ago,
take away from the senseless tragedy portrayed so well by Mary.
ODE TO A WEED
Look at them smokers puff them weeds,
Don’t they know where puffin’leads?
See them smokers walkin’ by?
Watch ‘em squint from smoke in their eye.

Hear ‘em cough, hear them hack,
Now they open another pack.
They think we worry about their
Early death
But what we hate is that awful breath.

It sure stinks
And we all told ‘em
Yet they’d smoke in their sleep,
If they had somebody to hold ‘em.

JIM LINDSEY

by: Mary

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 23:18:25 +0000

Dearest Carol, thank you. And I could not have walked that path without you in my life; I\’m eternally grateful for your friendship.

Love,
Mary

by: Mary

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 23:17:51 +0000

Dearest Carol, thank you. And I could not have walked that path without you in my life; I’m eternally grateful for your friendship.

Love,
Mary

by: Mary

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 23:15:56 +0000

To Mike, Denise and Mary Salerno…forgive me for not responding sooner; I just popped back in after my friend, Carol, mentioned she had read this.

Mike, you’ve really overcome some challenges and I’d like to wish you a Happy 17th Birthday on December 17! Good for you! And 27 years married is certainly a testament to you and your wife. Thanks for checking back……I appreciate the additional info.

I’m sure your doctor is correct, Denise. The smoke clings and moves around with the smoker. I truly didn’t realize that when I smoked. Good for you for not allowing smoking around your children. Thanks for your kind words about my daughter.

Well, Mary Salerno, I must say your email confused me for a moment because even though I read that we have the same name, I still ended up thinking…..wait, I didn’t write that : ) Thanks so much for sharing your feelings about what I wrote.

Best to all,
Mary

by: Carol Record

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 14:56:28 +0000

Mary,

What a beautiful remembrance of a wonderful daughter, a loving mother, and a grief so strong because of a love so deep. You are an inspiration to me.

Carol

by: mary salerno

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 02:59:54 +0000

Since we have the same name I was reading your story and it brought a smile to face rembering the times I go to the hairdrsser with my daughters and brought back wonderful memories. As I got to the end of the story I felt your pain finding that you lost your daughter to cancer and it brought tears, thinking how painful it must of been and still must be for you.
Mary Salerno

by: Denise

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 14:31:30 +0000

I’ve never been a smoker, but I married one (though we’ve recently separated). My new boyfriend is a reformed smoker and he is adamant that hubby shouldn’t smoke around my two children. Last fall the baby (not quite two) had a very bad ear infection. The specialist asked if anyone in the family was a smoker. I told them hubby was but “I made him go outside to puff” — the doctor then asked if hubby smoked NAKED on the doorstep. I looked at him like he was out of his mind and said no, of course not!!! And then the doctor said that going outdoors for a smoke didn’t do any good because the toxins would cling to your clothing, hair etc. Really hit home to me… You don’t realize how bad smoking is as it is socially acceptable. I am sorry for the death of your daughter… she looks like a lot of fun in the photo at the top of the story. It’s hard to lose the ones we love… Keep writing. This was a good read and a good message.

by: Mike G.

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 05:07:38 +0000

Mary,You bet the smoker Mike was a different person.I started as a teen(who didn’t) I quite in 1994 on my second wife’s birthday.Man i made it misrible for her.
On December 17,1990 I completed an other milestone in my life,I sobered up!
This January I turned 55,My marriage has lasted 27 years.
So to say that I greatful for all the good things in my life is an understatement.
God Bless,MikeG.

by: Mary

Sun, 15 Jul 2007 00:08:58 +0000

Thanks for you kind words and your insight, Mike, and may I say that I’m sorry for the premature loss of both your parents. Wonderful that you quit! I did too, ten years ago and looking back, it seems the smoker, Mary, was a completely different person. I can’t even imagine smoking. Perhaps you find that to be true as well.

I appreciate your taking the time to read and comment on my story. Thank you.

by: Mike G.

Sat, 14 Jul 2007 17:52:30 +0000

Mary,Thank you for this great story.I would like to take this time to say sorry for your loss.
Both my parents smoked while I was a child growing up both my sisters had to live with their somke as well.I think that is why my sisters and I have asthma
Both my parents have died because of thier smoking.My Dad died at the age of 58 due to a heart attack in 1984.My Mom suffered from lung cancer and died in 2003.The bad part was that she had quit smoking about 5 years before she died.
So I guess what I’m trying to say is that we all are touched by the beast that is called tobacco in some way or other.I even smoked for 20 years before I finally quit smoking my self,some 13 years ago.I just hope that what ever damage I did to my self,that by being a non-smoker that some of the damage can be reversed by not smokeing.
God Bless you for the courage to share you story.Mike G.