Alcohol: One Man’s Proud Confession

I have a proud confession to make.

Proud confession, the two words might appear to be a contradiction in terms. But in this case, I’m not so sure.

It is a confession, because many of you will be absolutely shocked by what I’m about to tell you.

I am certainly proud of it, because what I’m about to tell you is not something I am ashamed of. In addition, not very many other people in this world can say the same thing.

The confession?

I have never consumed alcohol in my life. I have never used marijuana. I have never been drunk or stoned.

Never!

No doubt some of you will choose to make fun of me, but I don’t care.

I didn’t care when a number of my alcohol-consuming friends ridiculed me. And since peer pressure has never been a motivating factor with me, your opinion will not injure me as well.

I know that alcohol is a legal product. You can buy it if you want. You can drink it if you want.

I will not try to stop you.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably old enough to make your own choices and I’m old enough to mind my own business.

However, your choices only become my business when you decide to drive upon OUR highways.

And knowing that my wife, children, and grandchildren are also out on those public highways, then I have a real problem with your deliberate decision to drink AND drive.

So if you’re ever busted for doing so, I truly hope you get the maximum penalty that the law will allow.

Once again, it’s your choice for that to happen as well.

I guess I’ve never fully comprehended this whole “drinking thing.”

And to those who claim that drinking and marijuana use were a rite of passage, I’ve always said, “No, thank you. I’ll just pass on that youthful tradition. Knock yourself out.”

The churches where I have chosen to worship have always opposed it. I’m sure that has been a contributing factor in my decision, but not all of it.

Maybe I was somewhat influenced by the actions of my mother and father, who were not drinkers.

A number of my friends drink. In fact, I could be with them while they were drinking and I would have absolutely no desire to consume it with them.

I know, because it has happened.

However, of all of the people I’ve ever known who chose to take up drinking, none of them ever told me they liked beer from the outset.

They tell me that beer is an “acquired taste.”

This is where I go back to that confusion over the drinking thing again.

Acquired taste?