Jan,
[quote]
Am I mourning the passing of my smoking habit, the one that held me prisoner for nearly 25 years? Yes. I won't lie, I miss it.
[/quote]
You have explained it so well with the above statement. Quitting can often be like grieving the lost of a good friend. The cigarette was our friend in every situation for many many years. It comforted us in times of sadness, kept us company in times of loneliness, gave us something to do when we were board, celebrated life events with us. We simply spent a lot of time with the cigarette and now that is gone.
You have to allow yourself time to adjust. It isn't easy but you will do it. Take some deep breaths, recognize what you are feeling for what it is worth and face the truth head on. You no longer smoke. Someone long ago used the analogy of leaving an abusive relationship to compare to quitting smoking. I will see if I can find it and bump it for you. Meanwhile, hang in there.
[B]My Milage:[/B]
[B]My Quit Date: [/B] 7/1/2005
[B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 569
[B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 11,391
[B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1991.5
[B]Life Gained:[/B]
[B]Days:[/B] 51 [B]Hrs:[/B] 10 [B]Mins:[/B] 0 [B]Seconds:[/B] 15