In the six years since the accident she has regained her ability to walk. Because she will never be able to drive, Cathy rides a bus for two hours every morning and afternoon to the closest college having a student service center. Each semester she takes one or two classes and seeks out tutorial assistance in student services. She is determined to beat her learning difficulties.
Difficulties like learning to write clear sentences, improving her reading comprehension (her maximum comprehension span was one paragraph before she would experience severe headaches). She has wept over the inability to speak clearly as well as the hurt inflicted by hateful prejudice. Socially she is unsure of herself. And devastated the accident cost her, her marriage and career plans.
While Cathy accepts the fact she will never obtain a doctorate degree in medicine, she courageously is determined to find some form of employment in the medical field.
These are two young lives which have been tragically altered because of someone partying in all the wrong ways.
Gaining Party Sense
Many young adults are saying no to drugs and no to alcohol. Many more need to do so. In a survey I conducted while employed at a local college and also on the campus of a private high school, I was surprised to learn of the many ways teens and young adults have fun (party, if you will) without drugs or alcohol.
A partial list includes drug and alcohol free parties. This provides all party-goers with an hundred percent better chance of arriving home in one piece after the party's over.
Sport activities, concerts, rodeos, skiing and fishing excursions, exhibits, fairs, shows, circuses and amusement parks rate high with local fun seekers.
With the advent of VCR and now, DVD, many choose partying with a group of good friends at home, in a casual get together of movies at home.
There is also the possibility of becoming evolved in community service projects (like one beach party which was thrown to help clean up the beach). Clubs, as well as a positive church or religious group are also options. (Note, I did say, positive religious group, there are many religious groups in our society today which are as dangerous as alcohol or drugs.)
Truly there is wisdom in this age-old passage from the Bible:
“Who has woe? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has blood shot eyes? Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confused things." Proverbs 23:29-33 NIV.
With all these ills substance abuse is capable of inflicting, it seems like the only plan should be for energetic fun seeking youths to get into life without alcohol or drugs and learn the joy of living. After all, isn't this what it is all about, after the party's over?
Note: Actual names of individuals mentioned in this article have been replaced with fictitious names for privacy reasons.
