Choices vs. Consequences--Part 1

I'm going to share a story with you.

There was this girl, and on her 21st birthday all her friends took her camping.  This will be so much fun everyone said.  Her boyfriend said we can get some liquor and a couple joints, get high around the fire.  Okay, this really wasn't much different than most nights except they went camping.
Here's the scene:  3 couples, all early 20's.  One says to the girl, "I got you something special for your birthday."  She asks what.  Cocaine he says, 'you're gonna love it!"  She said, "not interested really, not my thing."
"Have you ever tried it?"
"No"
"How do you know?"
"Just not interested, can't we just smoke a joint?"
"Sure after we do this line."
Then everyone else is chiming in:
"you'll love it."  "it's great."
"You can't get addicted with one line!"
"come on, come on"
"Chicken!!-It's your birthday."
Peer pressure won, she liked it.  It was a good time.  It was a HER choice to give in to the peer pressure.  A CHOICE.

Fast forward 20 years later:  She's clean, has a good kid, great life, good job, husband, etc.  But needs a quick $400 for her hobby.  Her daughter says, "Come on, come with me we will donate plasma together!!!  It's safe and you'll have your money in 5 weeks.  And its for a good cause"
"Hmmmmm...never thought of that.  Definitely easier than getting another job.  Ok, she said."

At the plasma center it's not like you just walk in and donate blood, it's much, much more intricate.  You have to watch videos, answer a bunch of questions, go through a short physical, make sure your heart rate is good, protein and iron are all good numbers.
During the question session, you are asked a series of questions similar to donating, however, one question stopped her "Have you ever snorted cocaine up your nose?" 
This is the scenario in her head (20 yrs ago? who's gonna know?  does it matter?  do I care?)  Then came the judgement-(look at all these people here...just to get a fix, why should she answer yes?)
The CHOICE was hers.  She answered Yes.  A CHOICE!
Get through the heart rate, blood pressure check, daughter cheering her on, go in for the physical and the nurse says....'oh no, honey, I'm so sorry.  We've all done it.' 
She quietly asks "it's because I answered yes to the cocaine question, isn't it?'
Nurse, "Yes, but it's ok, we really have all tried it, it's ok.  I can see that you are cleaned up, I know your daughter.  It happens, peer pressure.--But I'm sorry you cannot donate."

There I sit, in my work clothes that represent where I work, my 19 year old daughter in line behind the door waiting, cheering me on.  Excited that I'm going to get a new sewing machine.  And I'm crying like a 2 year old, ashamed by my choices, but understanding the consequences.
Leaving quickly, so as to not be seen, my daughter asks what is wrong and I just say that we will talk when she gets home.  I love you Anna.   Love you too Mom.  It'll be ok.

No matter what, there's always a choice, and for every choice somewhere down that line there will be a consequence.

Think about the next thing you do, and decide how the CHOICE might effect YOUR CONSEQUENCES later in life.