I spent a couple weeks in Maui in December and one beautiful, blue sky day when I walked toward the beach, I saw a nice looking, 50-something man, a pharmacist from Detroit, hunkered over a cigarette. He stood just beside the gate to a resort that said: No Smoking. He looked miserable.

I said, “Bad addiction, right?”

He looked up and said, “And I have a totally hot wife who loves me. She hates that I smoke.”

I said, “Well, I’m part of the undercover wife network. I’m a widow. And your wife doesn’t want to be a widow, because then she’d have to date! So, I’m here to help you.”

And then I became my therapist self. And I explained his addictive brain, how to stop, and encouraged him to just take control, and decide how he wanted to quit. Cold turkey or wean off the nicotine.

Then I went for a walk on the beach and there I saw a double rainbow.

Here’s what he texted me a few days later.

“Thanks! The last 3 days, I’ve only had 3 cigarettes. Today, I will have two and by Saturday, I will have none. My Blondie tells me I am snoring less at night and I am feeling better already. I have to do this and I know this. I need to man up and get this monkey off my back! I do want to enjoy my grandchildren when they come.

I was thinking deeply about my smoking when you appeared. Maybe you are a guardian angel who was sent to help me. Regardless, Thanks.”

Then the day after Christmas he texted: Two Weeks!! No Smokes!! Happy New Year!!

And for you, if you have pesky habits you want to get rid of, give me a call:

Happy 2020!

Sending You love,

Stephanie