Dear Mr. President;
I would like to thank you for letting Americans know about your smoking issues. I'm sure you get letters and emails all the time about this. You can add this one to that pile. However, I still feel the need to express my gratitude.
Thank you. After 20 some odd years of smoking over 2 packs a day, I finally quit.
Generally, when I would try and quit before, I would cheat, and have a cigarette only to berate myself to the point of giving up entirely and slipping right back into smoking full time. It was like a vicious cycle. I joined the American Lung Association Smoking Group for Smokers, took classes, tried all the patches and gum, even medication. Nothing took.
Only one thing helped finally. There is no question in my mind that your decision to share your smoking struggles with the public was the biggest reason I was at last successful.
This final time, when I would fall off the "tobacco wagon" and smoke a cigarette, instead of berating myself I would say, "If the President of the United States struggles with cigarettes and still runs the country, and commands respect, I can pick myself back up too!" Just the this one piece of encouragement gave me the ability to quit cold turkey. I have been smoke free since March 9, 2009. Thank you.
Yes, you are doing a wonderful job being our President, but I just really wanted to thank you for giving me the encouragement to change. It may seem so trifle to politicians and lawmakers. But, I think the ability of a President to evoke change in his fellow Americans to grow and transform on a personal level, allows us as a nation to grow and transform as a country.
Thank you so much.
And yes, I will be voting for you in the next election
