More Jairus Youth Stories - Lauren - John - Cory

John's story – Teen 12-Step Group

When I was 12 years old I was a pretty good kid. Then I got mixed up with the wrong crowd.

You might think that most people start off by smoking weed or drinking. I didn’t – I went right into drinking and sniffing coke.

I didn’t really have enough money for that, so I went to smoking weed. I smoked once in a while, but not too much. Then as I got more and more money, I would buy more and more pot. The first time I got in trouble with the law I was in 7th grade for the second time (I stayed back because I was slacking off). I got into trouble for tagging and vandalism.

I was on probation for 6 months and didn’t have to see a probation officer until I got off. So I thought, “No big deal.” As the year progressed, I started smoking more and more. Then I tried mushrooms. I thought it was the best night of my life. Then the day I moved to a new town, I got into trouble one more time again for the same thing – tagging and vandalism. I didn’t really think much of it, because it was basically the same penalty as before.

As I entered the 8th grade as a new kid, I felt it a lot easier to make friends by smoking weed with people. The second day of school one of my friends gave me 10 perkasets and 10 vicadin. I took 5 of each during school then took the rest when I got home that same day. As the years progressed I became what kids would call the average pot head. I would smoke everyday. I would take money from kids just to benefit myself. I would steal from my parents.

It didn’t really matter to me, because I was getting high and didn’t care about anyone but myself. Then I got caught with weed in school.

I had a joint, rolling papers, and a cigarette. They kicked me out of school for 10 days. I had to go to probation and see my probation officer every other week. It was basically like the same thing before, but now, I just actually had to see a probation officer and get drug tested. I didn’t really care so I started smoking more and more. This made me forget a lot of my probation meetings, and I failed my drug test because I refused it. Then I forgot another meeting. I had to go back to court and they told me I had 30 days to be clean and make all my meetings. Then I forgot all about what he said. I smoked a lot more that month than I ever had, and then I forgot my meeting.

When I got to court the next month, they drug tested me, and said if I failed, I was going to lock-up. Sure enough, I failed, and I was supposed to go to lock-up for a month. But I ended up staying for two months, and before I got out, I was on the patty wagon, praying to God that he would help me out and that if he did, I would not be the same person I was.

When I got out, I changed completely. I don’t smoke pot… I haven’t had a drink for a long time. For about a month and a half, I have been slipping up and not getting to school on time, or not showing up at all. I am trying to get back into the swing of things, and get back to when I was doing great.

I have been going to 12-step meetings on Mondays at the church for a long time, somewhere around 19 weeks. I just joined another 12-step group on Thursdays, and I am going to start going there regularly. But I think me going to lock-up was a big wake-up call saying that you don’t get everything for free. I have learned a lot about myself, and I am trying to stay on the right track. I know that if I trust in God he can help me and forgive me. Well, that’s about it, so goodnight folks. 8-]

By John Paul Anthony Goldsmith