Party!

“Let’s party” seems to be the byword for a good time, and the signal that party time is the only way to have fun. The unspoken thought behind the words, at least in my culture, is that alcohol must be a part of the night’s revelry, otherwise it’s a waste of time. But does it have to be that way?

In our young, immature years, we think that some wine, beer, or spirits will unlock the door to fun, and happiness. Sadly, many have to learn the hard way that this is not true. Ask the young girl who ends up with the choice between having an unplanned baby, or an abortion. Ask the young man who has picked a fight with his best pal, and maimed him for life. Ask the nurses at A&E. Ask the Police who have to literally pick up the pieces shed on a good night out. Ask a parent who lies awake praying that their son or daughter is safe and will come home unharmed.

We can’t be too hard on our teenagers, when we remember our own youthful escapades. We may have got out of our youth unscathed physically, but many of us bear the unseen scars mentally and emotionally. That is the very reason parents, and yes grandparents too, worry for their own because they have been there, and even now may live with the uneasy consequences. So the next time your mum or dad says, “be home by …”, “stay safe” or “keep good company” or “don’t be on your own”, it’s not because they want to be a kill joy. On the contrary, they want you to avoid the pitfalls they almost fell into, and they know that the unintended bad memories stay real and vivid for a long time. Maybe for ever. So next time you hear the words, “let’s party” try to keep in mind the things that are important. The things that will outlast your years, way beyond any (bad) decision you may make for the short term. Oh, and for the record you CAN have fun and enjoy yourself without alcohol. It’s true!

“Then he said, ‘I know what I will do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger barns! I will put all my wheat and good things together in my new barns. Then I can say to myself, I have many good things stored. I have saved enough for many years. Rest, eat, drink, and enjoy life!’ “But God said to that man, ‘Foolish man! Tonight you will die. So what about the things you prepared for yourself? Who will get those things now?’ Luke 12:18-20