...my life
Straight edge. A pure lifestyle, free of the poisons that are not meant to be consumed or inhaled. Saying, "fuck you" to addiction; living your live and not letting addiction live it for you.
Straight edge is something I have been interested in for some time now, but have not taken it into my life, until recently. It all started by listening to bands such as Minor Threat, Youth of Today, Throwdown, etc. The idea of taking something such as not using drugs, which is seen in high school as wimpy, and making it into a lifestyle to be proud of kind of intrigued me. Yet at the same time I would make fun of the mucho/ tough slogans such as ‘X up or shut up’, and ‘straight edge revenge’.
When I was little, I rejected drugs and alcohol all together. As I grow up, I just started to accept it into my life, however it came in. Smoke weed, cigarettes, and drink. I just considered it my way of rebelling, and all teenagers do it, so it wasn’t a big deal. But there were problems in my family with alcohol. It almost ruined my family and split it apart. My mom always told me to be careful with alcohol because it was hereditary. But I just ignored her and said it wouldn’t happen to me. I just kept drinking and didn’t care. At times when I craved it, I remembered what I was told, but just brushed the thought away. I have friends and family that I see the affects of addiction, whether they are clean now or not, it still holds an affect. They don’t know how else to act because alcohol and drugs told them how to before.
After listening to the music, reading lyrics and books about it, etc, straight edge has always been an idea in the back of my mind. One day when I just couldn’t stand seeing what addiction did to people I know I made the commitment. I didn’t want to put my kids through anything like that. I wanted to control my life and be better than what alcohol and drugs could make of me. I realized that if I did not make that commitment than I wouldn’t stop using and it would just be a downward spiral.
Why would I want to breath smoke that is not meant to be inhaled and in the long run would kill me. Why would I want to consume alcohol, which only poisons me and makes me slower, stupider and sicker? Is puking cool or something? Why would I want to do all that to myself when I can stay healthy and be proud. I’ve seen what addiction does to my family and my friends and their families, and I don’t want to end up living my life for an addiction.
