Thanks Josie. I definately plan to go back there next Spring. Will also hope to see my two new friends who I met in Delta. Bill quit cigarettes and went to a pipe until I told him it was a bad move. He quit the pipe and found that he had throat cancer. He is still in treatment. My lady friend, who calls me regularly, has trouble with a grown son hounding her for smoke money as he has four kids and no job. I told her to say No.
Btw, I don't buy smokes, they are given to me; I don't want them anymore!
And another btw, I have cut down to 1/3 today. Put aside 20 and smoked 8 all day. I'll go to bed early and when I get up on Sunday I'll shower, have breakfast and go to church. That will take care of the morning.
Afternoon I'll visit an old friend who is 84 years old, a recovering alcoholic and ex-smoker who has been after me to quit for years.
LastFall, while in BC and wandering around I found a Buddhist Temple in Richmond where I signed up for a seven day retreat. It was edifying and enlightening and challenging. The gates were locked up tight from nine pm to 8am and no smoking allowed. We did chanting, prostrations and ate vegetarian food. People were lovely. We slept on boards and got up at three am to go to the Temple for chanting and meditation walking. Back to sleep until breakfast and back to the Temple proper. Awesome. The only thing that spoiled my great adventure was constant cravings,-like in the song. And when those gates were finally opened off I ran like an escaped prisoner on the loose in search of coffee and a place to smoke my brains out. I want to go back there free of that problem. And when I die I want to go to the Pure Land with body and mind pure as the driven snow. Thanks for helping me achieve my goal.
