New Years Eve- Part 2

So, I know I said I would not be able to post until Monday or so, but we ended up leaving the party at 11:30. It was lots of fun, but after something special that happened earlier, I just didn't feel right staying.

At about 7pm, I went outside Grandmas to look for my friend Lydia that was going to be dropping off my mask she made me. I noticed a young girl standing in the dark road.

I walked past once and then came back to her and said "hey, do I know you"?

She responded that yes, I did know her. I shined my flashlight and immediately recognized her as a girl that grew up with my Nathan. She is quite popular and he doesn't hang with her, but he dad owns a store next to mine, so we became friends.

After some prodding, she broke down crying and let me know that the kids she was hanging out with (14+ years old) were all drinking and she felt very uncomfortable.

I was so impressed. I let her know that I would wait for her dad (she called him) so she could go back to the party so no one would suspect her of telling on them.

He ended up taking about an hour. It was freezing. Then, instead of busting up the party....they just grabbed their daughter and left. Although he thanked me, I felt such a sense of dismissal. Like....."kids will be kids". I was so thankful that Nathan was at a church function and SAFE.

Which brings me to our party. Many of my high school friends were home this Christmas.

I happen to be the only LDS one in the group of 30 or so of us. As I was at this party last night, I couldn't stop thinking about this young girl and how uncomfortable she felt and why didn't i?

Well, that's just it.......I did. That's when we left. I started looking around me.

I love my friends, don't get me wrong.....but, I don't need to drink to have fun.

Not that my friends drink to get crazy, but there were some people there I didn't know that were so over the top drunk, that I felt horrible even leaving them there. I felt naive and saddened. It actually made me feel so reassured to be able to still feel this way.....sensitive.

I may bear my testimony about this tomorrow. I may not, but it's something I will never forget.

The example of a young woman, standing up for her beliefs even in the midst of the ever judgmental popularity game, that we are all in.........