Why do I write?

Why do I write?

It’s an honor and a privilege to be part of a global community of bloggers advocating for a smoke free world. We steal time from our busy lives to read each others’ blog and reflect on what they mean. I’m also grateful for anyone who finds something useful in my reflections. I have already stated that I am not a smoker, but I certainly have my share of detestable bad habits that make me just as imperfect; therefore, I feel compelled to understand smokers around me. So the question is why do I write? Apart from the popular reasons that you could easily think of such as giving my opinion, seeking attention or answers, venting or confessing, I feel there is more to this litany: let me start with my UN-abating desire to connect with other fellow human beings far and wide. We forget the importance of eye-contact and a smile when we cross each other’s path; let this blog be my smile to each one of you whether deliberately or accidentally reading this blog.

Let me continue with another all-important reason: I write to re-affirm my humanity. Have we not come a long way from hunter-gatherers, finding shelter from natural elements and wild animals? Somehow, eons ago, we needed one another to survive, to raise kids, to barter and so on. These simple primordial daily gestures were life-saving, but also constituted the building blocks of communal life, culture and gradually of civilizations. Today the significance of these essential gestures goes unnoticed, or worse they may be a travesty for someone’s selfish agenda. In many of us, this pure deep-seated desire to connect is distorted by our mindless use of technology and its multitude of by-products .

Once and for all, let’s face the truth about technology: anything we did not have to work for, that was simply passed on, we just took for granted… we are all guilty of that. And so it is: when we delve into the maze of technologies readily available, we tend to think we are satisfying a deep human need. In reality, these technology- traps only create more wants in us. We progressively lose touch with ourselves and with others. I am confident you and I can find profuse examples of loss of contentedness with…..related and non-related fellow beings.

Let me add that cigarettes are not the tobacco our forefathers smoked, chewed or snuffed, but on the contrary, a grossly manufactured ploy designed to keep too many pseudo –satisfied and never fulfilled. Do I need to provide more examples of bad habits generated by modern technologies? We all have some bad habits that keep us from connecting to one another; it’s up to each one of us to stare that habit in the face and see what it is doing to our mind, body and soul. Thank you for allowing me to re-affirm my humanity.