D.A.R.E.
In the past week or so I've been doing a lot of reflecting in my life. Assessing what and who is important to me, how they are important and in what way. And then I hung out with one of my best friends yesterday and a conversation we had got me thinking some more. And then last night on AIM a comment got me thinking even more than before. (God, all this thinking and my head might explode... lol).
Anyhow, the conversation was centered around D.A.R.E. You know that program you went through in approximately 5th grade where the police officer came into your classroom and told you that drugs and alcohol were bad. This message bombarded your life once a week for several weeks and then you went through "graduation." The two things I enjoyed most about DARE graduation was that I was chosen to read my essay and the cake. Funny how I remember the warning not to get the black frosting on your clothing because it stains, but I can't remember a word of the essay I wrote.
The comment was made, "When you were in DARE did you ever think, oh yeah... one day I'm gonna do drugs?" No of course not... and when I im'ing a friend said to me, "Look at you 10 years later." While this was a direct cut on my choices I found it hilarious. He then went on to say how the DARE program was somewhat of a crock. While I agree to some extent, I find it interesting that most people in the U.S. go through DARE and how much has it really helped?
How many people remember the pledge they took while in DARE? I don't I know that much. But what DARE did give me was the knowledge to delay the inevitable. Of course I was going to grow up and drink at some point. But I guess at least I was old enough to make wiser decisions about it.
Anyhow... I don't know where that was really going, but just sort of a reflection of how things are. I found it funny and sad that when I talked to a gradeschool friend of mine last spring, one of the things she asked me was, "What drugs have you done?" And then was surprised when I didn't have a whole list of them. It is interesting how different people can view the same person differently depending on when in life you knew them. And then there are the friends who you just can't seem to get rid of... and usually, it is a comforting thing.
Anyhow, the conversation was centered around D.A.R.E. You know that program you went through in approximately 5th grade where the police officer came into your classroom and told you that drugs and alcohol were bad. This message bombarded your life once a week for several weeks and then you went through "graduation." The two things I enjoyed most about DARE graduation was that I was chosen to read my essay and the cake. Funny how I remember the warning not to get the black frosting on your clothing because it stains, but I can't remember a word of the essay I wrote.
The comment was made, "When you were in DARE did you ever think, oh yeah... one day I'm gonna do drugs?" No of course not... and when I im'ing a friend said to me, "Look at you 10 years later." While this was a direct cut on my choices I found it hilarious. He then went on to say how the DARE program was somewhat of a crock. While I agree to some extent, I find it interesting that most people in the U.S. go through DARE and how much has it really helped?
How many people remember the pledge they took while in DARE? I don't I know that much. But what DARE did give me was the knowledge to delay the inevitable. Of course I was going to grow up and drink at some point. But I guess at least I was old enough to make wiser decisions about it.
Anyhow... I don't know where that was really going, but just sort of a reflection of how things are. I found it funny and sad that when I talked to a gradeschool friend of mine last spring, one of the things she asked me was, "What drugs have you done?" And then was surprised when I didn't have a whole list of them. It is interesting how different people can view the same person differently depending on when in life you knew them. And then there are the friends who you just can't seem to get rid of... and usually, it is a comforting thing.