“Aah… Daddy it’s not at all good for you! Why don’t you leave it forever? Can’t Mom, sis and me become your companions? Yes Dad! Throw that deep inside the rivers! Daddy please!, please, please… :'( followed by countless teardrops with those innumerable requests!
Dreams are dreams but if you dare to dream them, they really do come true! Quite similar was a little dream prevailing deep within a ‘toddler me’ who always lived with that tiny question in her mind— “Will my Dad ever quite Smoking?” And yes, not that little one but that ‘Grown-up ME’ made that little dream come true in real sense.
Reminiscing those olden golden moments of childhood, they were filled with immense pleasure but there has always been a dark and bitter touch to that delight of ours. The stronger His addiction, the firmer my belief that I could make him get rid of it one fine day.
And there MY battle with HIS Smoking begun…
1st August 2009, I with the help of my Mom decided to take Dad out of his gloomy world and show him the worldly realities to make him realize that there is a life much more pleasurable than that awful and unhealthy one he was living and wasn’t even aware of.
Nothing could be as apt as that very day which was equally special for both Mom and Dad. I had turned 18, only to realize that Dad was still lost in his world of smoking aloof in darkness. Mom kissed me on my forehead at 12 midnight the previous day itself and discarding the grief of Dad’s isolation we made a plan for the next day to change it into an unforgettable one for the whole of our lives.
Mom used her creative side by making anti-smoking posters the whole day in different colors with smoking awareness messages in bold and I using my technical skills prepared a slide show presentation demonstrating the health hazards and minute risks of smoking. We decorated Dad’s entire room with those posters and adjusted the laptop, got prepared for the next big moment until he entered and switched on the lights.
And there was our surprise, actually a shock for him initially! He saw everything, analyzed every bit of our little demo and realized the trouble he had been giving to his mind and body along with our souls. At last with those little tear droplets now turned into bigger ones, I requested him yet again to quit smoking for once and for all and asked him to grant me the most special birthday gift.
Brimming with emotions, tear drops rolled out from his eyes too the moment he came to know the fact that he had forgotten that special date, his princess’s 18th birthday. It was 10 pm already he rushed to a nearby shop, got the last left over cake available there. I was overwhelmed to see his immense love and tremendous emotions for me carved deep inside his heart.
After every dusk, there comes a new dawn
After every storm, there comes a rainbow!
They say— “It’s better late than never”! No, it wasn’t the end but a new beginning with a new outlook along with a beautiful and positive change for our entire family. Thereafter, he promised never to even think of smoking again and I was successful in conquering my challenge which was indeed, the most special birthday present I could ever gift to myself.
That was indeed, a moment of pride which brought back the sparkle to my life. The biggest change I could ever make into my life lies in the fact that I made my father quit a hazardous habit. This not only brought back the glory to my entire family but an everlasting smile on my face as well which I will cherish throughout my life. 🙂
That day, I did #StartANewLife with my bold step which was my victory over an evil (smoking) which could have destroyed my family.
Image 1 courtesy: [highlight]costablog.com[/highlight]
Image 2 courtesy: [highlight]www.roddsanchez.com.au[/highlight]
Discover more from The Style Symphony
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.
Lovely post Maitreni. I hope some day I am able to make my dad stop smoking too.
Btw – loved your name, very different 🙂
Thank you so much Archana. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. I’m sure you will. 🙂 Cheers!