One good reason why I’m the winehiker

I read Joe Roberts’ post this morning on 1WineDude about how smoking can diminish the value of tasting wine, and immediately felt obliged to respond. After all, I grew up in a family in which cigarette smoking was nearly de rigueur – everybody smoked, upwards of 3 packs a day.

I remember occasionally volunteering to cook for both my dad and his second wife, who also smoked. After taking pains to shop for and craft a fine dish only to see them both pour gobs of salt at the table, I would find myself offended nearly as much by this habit as by their tobacco habits. I tried in vain to salt their thinking with the many promises of adopting healthy habits, but alas – at least in my dad’s case – it was not to be.

My mom quit back in the late 60s and tried to get dad to do the same. His refusal to give up the addiction was the reason she left him. But she suffered through it for years until my sister and I were both out of the house.

I lost my dad at age 70 to his life-long cigarette habit. The lung tumor that killed him was the size of an apple. Fortunately my stepmom saw the light, took the cue, and quit. It probably was not easy for her; she had been smoking for over 60 years. But she’s still with us today – she’s going on 80 years young, and feels more energetic now than she did most of her life.

I’m the winehiker today because of my intrinsic desire to reverse the unhealthy (and sedentary) course of my upbringing. I simply had to buck family tradition; smoking was my impetus for getting outside, for blossoming into who I am with those very first forays into the wilderness.

I appreciate the fine points of tasting wine, too, simply because I can.

~winehiker

This entry was posted on Monday, April 7th, 2008 at 2:01 pm and is filed under grape squeezins. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

One Response to “One good reason why I’m the winehiker”

1WineDude
April 7th, 2008 18:05
1

Thanks for the shout-out – and for the great post.

Smoking has ruined so much, and I know it contributed to my grandfather’s death many years ago.

It’s good to know that folks like your stepmother can have the courage to quit , and have such great results in her health, especially after so many years of smoking – truly inspiring stuff!