Article January 1, 2002 ISSUE

“Leave her alone”

by Pascale Herscovici—Paris, France

A lot of my friends have been smoking cigarettes since they were ten or eleven. Now marijuana is pretty common.

One day, a year ago, I left the cafeteria early with some friends to meet another friend outside school. Two guys started sharing a joint, and one of them offered it to me. I wavered. I'd never had a chance to try marijuana before, and all I would have had to do was say “yes.” But before I could say anything, the other guy said harshly, “Leave her alone!” He had never seen me smoke anything, not even a cigarette, so he must have felt that it wouldn't be good for me. So, I didn't take it.

Not too long ago I talked to another friend who told me what he loved most was to be drunk, because he could just let himself go. He said that drinking gives way to a state of happiness and well-being. He suggested I try it some day.

But I remembered a two-week vacation I'd spent in Switzerland with other people my age who, like me, don't drink or smoke. And I was incredibly happy during my vacation. I was fully conscious, in control of myself, and ready to give back the happiness I got. On top of that, I have beautiful memories of that time. I hadn't missed out on anything really good. I felt completely safe: nobody could have influenced me to do anything I wouldn't normally do.

Back to my friend. I didn't really try to answer him, even though I didn't agree with what he was saying. At the time, I didn't know how to explain my feelings very well. I didn't condemn him, though. I knew he was the child of God, and he was one of my best friends.

It's only been recently that I've understood how drugs can distance us from our true feelings and emotions. I think it's because I've matured, and I understand God more. For me, God is real. He is the source of the love and happiness in our lives. I'm now perfectly sure that I don't want to experiment with drugs; I want to feel this Love, God, and enjoy the time I spend with my friends.

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