by roosterless 2003
Adversity: A state of hardship or affliction; misfortune.
It seems that many times throughout our lives we are faced with adversity. How we handle and overcome that adversity is what makes us who we are. Some people might fight, or drink, cry, pray or dip when trying to overcome a trying situation. In order to survive life, we have to find our way of overcoming adversity. I’ll admit that I have tried all five of the ones I listed.
It seems that I (we) have all overcome a lot of adversity during our quits. Some have dealt with deaths, some have dealt with illness, some have dealt with jobs, and some have dealt with the law, and some have had problems with their marriage. They are all hardships, and we are stronger when we prevail over them.
So where does adversity come from? And more importantly why do we have to go through it? It has to come from something good because without adversity, what would make that something good, and worth the trouble. Some say that God gives it to us to test our faith, test our will.
267 days ago when I first announced my victory over dip, I would have never imagined the hardship that I would have to endure to reach this point. Many of you know already of my recent divorce and child custody battle, and the paternity question of fact. Sadly, I am not my daughter’s biological father. My wife took a paternity test with the other guy and the results were 99.9% in his favor. When I heard of this I didn’t know what to do. First I cried, and then I was angry, then I cried some more. So how was I to deal with this.dip? That’s what I thought the answer was, but then I just sat down and thought about what would happen if I dipped.
1. It would eventually kill me.
2. All of my hard work would be lost.
3. I would have to relive hell week(s)
4. It wouldn’t bring my daughter back.
5. My wife would win.
So as much as I would have wanted to, I did not. Thankfully I am still 267 days strong. Dipping is not the answer to our problems. Dipping just creates more and while I still struggle to overcome my hardship, I do so without the help of dip.
So, newbies, prepare for the battle of your life, but also prepare for the greatest victory of your life. I remember thinking that I would always chew, and that I would never be strong enough to quit and I am sure that is true with everyone here. The neat thing is though, that we aren’t strong enough to do it by ourselves. With the help of God, with the help of each other, we overcome the adversity that follows our quit. And when more adversity comes we overcome it, and keep overcoming it. Never ever do we give up or give in. If one of our brothers or sisters falls down, we pick them up, like so many of you have done this last month for me. Thank you.
The same goes with veterans too. Just because we have made it to the second or third floor of the HOF, doesn’t mean that we are in the clear and safe from adversity. There will always be those trials of life that make us think of turning back to the can, but as long as we don’t let it go past thinking, we shall be ok.
If life was easy, it wouldn’t be so damn interesting. I don’t know who this belongs to, but isn’t it the truth.
Stay strong, stay free.
267 days, roosterless!!
Used with permission from the Quit Smokeless Organization