Letter to daughter …..
We are trying to teach you to be responsible, so that you will be prepared to live your own life. The first step in your becoming independent is your not perishing. Thus, we try to keep you out of places and away from things that we think are too dangerous.
In order to live independently, you will need money...your money, not ours. We want you to be as prepared as possible for you to do whatever it is you want and earn your income in any way that you choose. Thus, you go to an excellent school. But also, we want your body and mind to remain whole and undamaged, so that you will have every opportunity.
We know full well that you are preparing yourself now for your own life tomorrow. We hope your life will be extraordinarily wonderful. The problem here and now is your need to try new things by yourself, and our wanting to protect you as long as we can. The contradiction in objectives is obvious. Please know that the more we know about what you think, the more faith we can have.
There are many hurdles during your “coming of age”. When asked if I would like to be 15 again, my response was only if there would be a guarantee of survival. You probably already are aware of these dangers and we sincerely hope you survive them.
TOBACCO. There is nothing good about this drug. Nothing. It is a terribly addicting habit that leads to poor health and death. You can skip this weed and nobody will care.
DRUGS. There are some pleasurable moments provided by a wide variety of illegal substances. Unfortunately, many can cause an immediate addiction, and what was fun is now a constant struggle to find more. The moments of release are greatly overshadowed by the burden of addiction. AND, every drug causes an alteration to the brain. Any kind of use does cause irreparable damage. There are better ways to find happiness and release than drugs. You can skip this habit and nobody will care. I went through school telling people I was trying to quit when offered any of this stuff. It was accepted by everybody.
ALCOHOL This is the hardest of these three vices. Smoking is just pointless and drugs are illegal. Drinking is also illegal, but only until you are 21, which make it a little different than drugs. Beware this drug. A great many very talented people prevent themselves from doing great things because of drinking. Take care with this drug and take care when you are with friends and they are drinking. Our wish is that you postpone this vice until you are 21, of legal age. But I know you will be in situations where others are drinking, and their drinking is every bit as dangerous as your drinking.
CRIME There are laws prohibiting drugs and alcohol. If you are caught breaking any of these laws you will be punished. Not only by us, but by the State, and you will then be the proud owner of a police record, which can and will prohibit your getting into some colleges and grad schools and some lines of employment. Don’t get caught, which is easy if you do not offend. It is also illegal to serve a minor. We are guilty of breaking a law if minors drink our alcohol or drink in our house. We do not want to get caught and we will not offend.
There are many hurdles during adolescence and here are the rules of survival regarding mind altering substances:
1. No tobacco.
2. No drugs.
3. No drinking until you are 21.
4. No riding in a plane, boat or car being driven by some one who has been drinking or doing drugs.
5. Should you suffer a loss of memory and forget rules 2 or 3, do not drive.
6. Our beer, wine & liquor is ours. We are over 21. Do not take it for yourself or for your friends.
7. There is a test attached to this letter. Take some time to study and prepare for a quiz. You probably know this stuff, but we want to be sure.
8. On your 21st birthday, if you have not smoked and not taken drugs, you will receive $1,000. IF, you do not drink, you will receive another $1,000.
9. Remember the goal is your safety and well being. At the age of 21, will you be alive, in one piece, with none missing, and with a complete undamaged mind?
