LIGHTING UP FOR THE FIRST TIME!

1. LIGHTING UP FOR THE FIRST TIME! The stage was set. The calm ocean breeze and the warm gurgling of the sea presented a unique sense of clarity. It was just me and….. my first cigarette. Having spent my teenage years abhorring cigarettes and the entire act of smoking, here I lay by myself at the beach, about to smoke my very first cigarette. Now, what led to this change in heart? Well, I realized that perhaps my misplaced notions about smoking was actually born out of the so called ‘education’ I was subjected to. You see, smokers are often projected as enemies of the state and as kids, we are taught that smoking is bad and those who smoke are even worse. But as I experienced the world outside the four walls of the classroom, I finally understood where I was wrong. Smoking offers something much more than just temporary relief and pleasure. It’s freedom. The freedom to express yourself the way you feel like, irrespective of the status quo and with gay abandon. Smokers are more confident about themselves because in spite of what the world preaches, they ignore the noise and just get it done. I have personally seen my friends replicate this and that made me perceive smokers in a different light. As I puffed on my first ever cigarette, I felt a sense of relief. Perhaps, my first ever cigarette gave me a whole new perspective on life. I did not have to conform to the rules as they were and finally understood my true identity. My first cigarette revealed a side to me that made me the person I am today, and I can’t be more thankful for that one night I decided to light up. Source:https://www.smokersforum.in/smokers-digest/detail/sutta-stories/lighting-up-for- the-first-time