Finger on the trigger…

The trigger points that is. All smokers have trigger points, those exact times or events that prompt us to light a cigarette. Usually we have one trigger point in particular that we never, ever miss no matter what. For many it’s that first cigarette in the morning with a cup of coffee. Because I don’t like coffee and the sheer lack of time in the morning at my house my first trigger happens as I drive out of the school parking lot where I have just dropped off my little darlings.

This isn’t just my first cigarette; this is my well deserved reward! If you have or have ever had small children you know what I’m talking about! “Get up” repeated twenty-two times, “what do you mean you don’t like maple and brown sugar oatmeal, you liked it yesterday” “No, you can’t wear a pajama top to school!” The fun tasks of digging though the laundry basket of clean, unfolded laundry for matching socks, finding the other shoe under the couch, enduring the tearful screams that I pulled the pony tail too tight, and the repeated instructions not to forget the backpacks all while getting myself ready to leave the house! Finally getting everyone into the car (usually with one shoe on and one shoe off… me included) and hearing as I back down the driveway “mom I forgot my backpack.” Yep, that is the cigarette that will be missed the most!