Article June 18, 2012 Issue

A good guy, not a thief

Name withheld

This article was originally published in the March 2012 edition of the French Herald, Le Héraut de la Science Chrétienne.

I’m 16 now. When I was 11, I have to admit that things were difficult for me. I spent my time with friends who sometimes did things that weren’t right. I was very impressionable, and I did what they did to be “cool,” to impress others, and to show that I wasn’t afraid. I smoked marijuana, and sometimes I’d steal money to buy the things I wanted.

One night I went to sleep at a friend’s house. The next day we went to a library where there was an exhibition of precious stones. I saw a really beautiful black stone. To me, it looked like a toy.

My friend challenged me, “Are you are brave enough to take the stone?” I was offended by his question because it seemed as if he didn’t think I could do it. I put the stone in my pocket and we left. We didn’t notice there were security cameras all over the library.