I usually try to avoid entering any contests like the plague. One: Because I feel blessed enough with the things I already have. Two: Because of number one, I would feel bad if I did win. Three: I have terrible luck so I generally consider it a waste of my time.
That being said, I absolutely love contests like this. I like the 'creative writing' kind of contests. Where you can share your heart with others.
I've loved reading how PIF has affected you guys so far. And while I usually don't care about winning things, I think this set up would be really great for a smoker I am trying to get some things together for.
_~*~_What PIF has done for me_~*~_
I was never a privileged child. Growing up, things were always extraordinarily complicated. My family was dirt poor, my mother was disabled, and my father could never keep a job. He later became diagnosed with schizophrenia and also was put on disability. I always had very little.
My grandmother was the closest person to me in my life. Having a father with schizophrenia and a mother who is addicted to narcotics (pain killers) doesn't leave a child in a place of 'respect' for their parents. My grandmother was always my shining example of what the world should be like. She was giving and sweet and was always there for anyone who needed a helping hand. I wanted to be just like her.
However my life did not seem to lend itself to good Karma. No matter how much I gave back to the universe in my own childish way, things never seemed to get better. My father revealed his homosexuality when I was eight years old, my mother left me and moved to Oregon. We got our food supply from the local church and my father ignored me for he was too depressed to deal with life.
Every time I did something nice for someone else, my life, in turn, got worse. I began thinking that maybe life wasn't as straight forward and fair as my grandmother made it seem. But maybe, just maybe, if I gave as much of myself as I could to others, it would prevent me from facing the truly terrible. Maybe it wouldn't get me that brand new CD player or keep my parents together, but it was good Karma and that had to be good for something.
I battled my way through life trying to hold up these values and ideals. I did everything I could and continued to get nothing in return. I was beaten, raped, mentally abused, physically strained but I always looked to my grandmother and knew that it would all be worth it. Someday I would marry a wonderful man like she had done and someday I would live in a wonderful house like she did, and then the universe would pay me back.
I did meet a wonderful man and have a wonderful son. But times were (and still are) very tough. My husband has been on and off work, constantly getting laid off and told the very same thing each time "You're a good worker but we just can't keep you".
And still, I thought, I am halfway there, Grandma. Soon I will be just like you. Kind, giving, and blessed.
Then my grandmother died. She was 63 and she had diabetes. After a long and painful struggle we all gathered around and told her it was time to give up, to not hurt anymore. And she did. I have never felt so much pain. Both for losing my grandmother and the sudden realization that every ideal that had ever driven me to get past my demons just died in front of my eyes, literally.
I had taken a vow that day to live differently. To not get involved in problems that weren't mine. To take care of myself and my family and ignore the rest of the universe because what the hell had it ever done for me?
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I wrote the above before. So if you've read it already, don't be mad. It's a painful thing to read let alone re-write for the sake of a contest. It is the prelude to how PIF has helped me become stronger and better. And I will use it as a boilerplate, because it's just very, very hard to write over and over again. The next part, however.. is fresh!
That was months ago. Since then, I have lost a mother, a father-in-law and overcome so many day-to-day emotional obstacles all without questioning whether or not the world is worth the hassle. And I truly thank PIF.
It's so hard to explain in detail how PIF has changed me and my outlook on life. I wandered into the classifieds of this forum one day and probably did what we all did back then.. "oooh. Free!!"
. I stalked the thread for a while, waiting for something to come up. Nothing really did, so I didn't participate. I ended up coming to the group just after it was given its own forum.
I remember that, within a week I went from juice that was too weak for me and 2 crappy 510 batteries, to all 24mg juice and a nice little passthrough. That Passthrough still exists btw. It's helped many a new vaper now. (Thank you sweet Sensay!).
It only takes one person to change the outlook of another. One single random act of kindness. Sensay sent me that passthrough, which is what, in the end, really got me off the cigarettes. I can't begin to describe the amount of generosity I've been shown here. Given a chuck, various juice, mods, atomizers... All without really having to ask. To go from a life believing that no one cares about anyone, to jumping into a place like this was the change my life needed.
When my mom died, it was harder than I really expected it to be. We were never close, but lord knows I loved her. The people here sent me cards, flowers, chocolates, little angels.. anything they could to bring a smile to my face.
These are true friends... and you know what. I don't need the stupid mod. I already won. I'll send that smoker one of my eGos.
I love you guys.
