I will never forget that night: September 26, 1996. I pulled into my driveway after a busy day of school and baby-sitting. I still needed to write a big chemistry paper. There were many things on my mind. At that time I was having many problems with my family and friends. I was falling deep into depression. I was unhappy with myself and the way that my life was going. A major issue I was struggling with was drug use. For two years I had been smoking marijuana and hated it, but could not stop. I did not let drugs affect my grades or personality but it made a difference in how I thought about myself. I had always been a good kid and still tried to be, but drugs brought me down. I frequently thought about how drugs were not something I wanted as part of my life. I wanted to change but I was scared to make the transition.

I looked up at the sky as I stepped out of my car. The moon was covered by the earth's shadow in a lunar eclipse. The outer circle of the moon was exposed and gave off tiny beams of light gleaming in all directions. The sky was a dark, ink-black color dotted with millions of stars. I stood outside in the brisk fall air for what seemed an eternity of heaven and happiness. Joy that I had not felt in a long time came upon me. I closed my eyes to decide if this dream could be reality. I slowly opened my eyes and caught a shooting star glide over the treetops. Tears fell from my eyes and streamed down my cheeks. I had seen the true beauty of nature and God. Those few minutes helped me find the strength to change.

It was not easy to make the decision to stop using drugs. It was even harder to actually stop. Quitting has given me hope and a reason to be proud of myself. It has helped me grow stronger and more mature. It has made me happy. c