The three reasons I don't drink alcohol...

You know how one thing you hear or read leads to a thought that leads to a thought that leads to a thought that...you get the picture. The next thing you know, you're miles from where you started. Well, something I read today has lead me to want to write about why I don't drink, and have never even tasted alcohol. That's right, not even a sip.

Depending on which day or time or mood I'm in when you ask me, you may get any of three answers as to why I've made this decision. Then, depending on how interested you seem to be or how much time I have, you will get the long or short answer. But here I want to address all three things.

Reason 1: My dad was an alcoholic. No, he isn't deceased, but he no longer drinks. And while I know many people say "once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic", I don't believe that's true of Dad. He stopped drinking when he saw what it does to a family. While he drank the entire time my sisters were at home, and up until my junior year of high school, it was seeing the effect on the family of my sister, T--, that I think woke him up. T--'s husband drank and her two kids lived through the problems it caused, so maybe Dad finally looked at himself.

He wasn't a violent drunk, but he sure could be a jerk. And that's all I have to say about that.

Reason 2: I think I would probably be an alcoholic. When I like the taste of something, I'm a guzzler. Lattes and fruity drinks cause me to drink quickly--sipping is not an option. So I figure that if I liked the taste, that's what would happen. Although so many people say it's an acquired taste, I doubt I'd get that far. And the smell alone makes me sick. Probable a side effect of Reason 1 puking his beer all over the living room rug/sofa. That was a childhood memory I'd rather forget.

Reason 3: Here's where it gets a little more complicated. I don't drink for religious reasons. No, I don't think it's a sin, but I know it can lead to sin. Allow me to explain. Some people can have a glass of wine and be perfectly fine, not needing to finish off the bottle. But other people have the tendency toward addictive behaviors, and may not be able to stop at one. If I profess to be a Christian and someone sees me having a beer with a friend at the local bar and grill, or maybe a glass of wine at the company Christmas party, they may think, "she's a Christian and she's drinking alcohol, so I can have alcohol, too." But they may not be able to stop, and get drunk. After that, there's any number of things that could happen that wouldn't be good.

Do I think my not drinking is going to stop someone from drinking? No. Do I think other Christians will stop drinking when they see I'm not? No. But my sharing this reason with other Christians has caused them to say I've given them something to think about. And while it may not make a difference either way, I can hope it does.

Seriously though, I don't have a problem with other people having a drink. And honestly, if I weren't able to say I'm 35 years old and never tasted it, I probable would drink. But when you can say that, you get a lot of reactions, a lot of questions, and a lot of time to share all three reasons, giving the listener a lot of time to think. Even if they're only thinking they wish I'd shut up.