Dear Teenager,
It wasn’t too long ago that you were just a baby in our arms.
How snuggly you were, how much energy you had as you grew and grew and grew.
You challenged us, but you always took our advice or took our lead away from danger.
Why won’t you now?
We remember the day you came home as an elementary school student, stating adamantly that you would never do drugs, never would smoke, never, never, never.
Oh how we breathed a sigh of relief to hear those words from you–so strongly stating how stupid those kids were who would do that and choose to poison themselves with addiction. Ahh yes, we thought, they get it.
Did you know then that it would be knocking on your door, every day–from the inside?
But what happened? What happened to your disdain? What happened to you taking heed away from the danger?
It was but a couple of years ago that you said never–and now?
How fearful we are for your generation–inhaling chemicals into your beautiful fresh lungs, tainting them. Chemicals that will lurk for a long time in your bodies and then rear their ugly heads, in the form of disease and physical limitations. No cures, just wrath, cutting your lives short, bringing hardship and pain to all those who love you … and only misery to you.
Why would you even dare to dance with this new devil?
We are failing you. We can’t deliver the rules and regulations fast enough to save you from yourselves and the destruction these “gems” will take on your bodies. Claiming to be safer then their well-known precursor, they represent a territory unchartered.
But really is it? It’s just a different-named beast for a new generation. The question is 5, 10, 30 years … how long will it take to show us your fate?
Why do you turn to a substance for your happy? Did we not teach you well enough to soothe yourself without the pretty, and to stand up and stay strong against peer pressure? Failed, we did.
Why is it that when you pack together, among your school sports teams, your clubs, your groups of friends, you believe yourselves to be an invincible force, thinking that none of the bad will ever dare to enter your vibrant young bodies? Good kids, bad choices.
Teenager, I am fearful. Fearful for your generation. Too many of you are being charmed. Colorful Juuls, choices of exotic flavors, unique packaging. The pretty that will only lead you to want more and more of a high, tempting you to reach for much more than a popcorn lung.
What you will get will be an addiction. Never satiated, always looking for more.
It will come in many forms, cutting a great and wide path of destruction.
Dear Teenager–
Short of protecting you with all that we have and all that we are, and wrapping you in a fortress of goodness and safety … what we really want to say, to Beg, to SCREAM OUT LOUD to you:
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DON’T DO IT.
Please don’t let the Juul entice you down a path that you will wish you never went.
Be strong, stay intentional to keep it out of your life, PLEASE.
YOUR LIFE … DEPENDS ON IT.
With the most sincere, heartfelt love and strength that we (all of the people who love you) could possibly ever offer up, from all of us.
Yours Truly,
Kate
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