Be responsibly irresponsible.

Dear Izzy,

So my recent letter regarding how your Dad and I met reminded me to write you about responsible irresponsibility.  I do believe this is one of the greatest lessons your Grandma taught me, and I really hope that I am able to do the same for you.

For example, drugs and alcohol are bad.  I’ve seen it destroy more lives than I care to admit.  I’ve known people to die from them, ruin their lives, fight addictions and completely check out.  At the same time, some of my most life-changing and eye-opening moments were due (in part) to either drugs or alcohol.  So on that account, they aren’t all bad.  The key is “responsible irresponsibility”.

The thing is, for the most part, using drugs or alcohol is pretty irresponsible.  They impair your judgment and often times lead you to do something you wouldn’t necessarily do sober.  It’s for that reason that you’ll want to use caution when under the influence.  Don’t EVER drink and drive.  Trust me on this.  You do not want to be responsible for ending someone’s life due to one drunken moment.  Nor do you want to lose your license or wreck your only mode of transportation.  In addition, it’s wise to never drink to the point of blackouts.  You will never get those moments back, you'll never know what really happened and nobody likes an incoherent drunk.

Where drugs are concerned, think it through.  I’m not going to ask you to never do drugs, I know better.  And honestly, I have no concern what you do or don’t do – as long as you think through your decisions.  If it’s your first time to try a drug (ANY drug) – make sure you do so in a safe and stable environment.  Make sure you have a friend there who can watch over you and help you in the event you have a bad reaction (it happens).  Make sure you start in very small doses and slowly work your way into it.

In my opinion, some things are better left alone.  Weigh out the pros and cons before trying anything.  When I was younger I wanted to experience everything.  After some consideration, I chose to stay away from heroin, crack and meth.  Second-hand experiences were enough to teach me that the good could never outweigh the bad.  Everything else I tried, experienced and checked off my list.  A couple of times I stood on the line of addiction, but had the foresight to check myself before the usage caused any (long-lasting) problems.  Some things I’ve had to put down never to pick up again because the temptation is just too much. 

Who knows what will be around when you get older.  Just know that this lesson goes beyond just drugs and alcohol.  It expands to anything that can ruin/change your life in a moments notice.  I love you more than you know (until you one day have a child of your own).  If you are armed with this knowledge and discipline I can rest knowing that you will always do your best to make wise decisions and never put yourself in harms way.  And I do believe that is the greatest gift you could ever give me.

Love,

Mom