cigarettes and more adult conversations, I said, “Daddy, I have a surprise for you.” I gave him the bulging bag. “Open it! Open it!” I encouraged him with my excitement and pride.
He opened the bag and looked inside then emptied the bag’s contents into his lap. “A corn cob pipe?” he questioned. “Yes, Daddy. Now, instead of smoking cigarettes, you can make believe you are smoking. This way,” I said fighting back tears, “This way,” I repeated with slightly more resolve and realization,” You can puff on the empty pipe whenever you want a cigarette without,” I paused to recall the words my teacher used to explain smoking and cigarettes to us, “the dangers of smoking.”
We all sat in silence in the car with seatbelts on but not moving forward. My parents exchanged glances. My dad broke the solemn silence and said, “Thanks, Desiree,” as he puffed on the pipe a few times to show how much he liked my gift, an investment in his health span and hope for his longevity.
For the rest of the journey, neither one smoked. My mom chewed gum and my dad puffed on his pipe for the entirety of the trip. Breaking free of the desire for the addictive nicotine of cigarettes would not be easy, but my gift and explanation would inspire them to choose to be smoke-free and stick around a little bit longer.
They sacrificed for me. Although my mom passed away at age 57, my dad lived to be 92 years old. My gift of a pipe to him was more than a dollar toy. It helped extend his life for decades and each one was a blessing of time together, shared wisdom, and parental love worth more than $1.