A Step Outside Myself

My husband and I went to Wendover with his business partner this past weekend. He happens to be a "high-roller" in Wendover and was lured by the hotels. They comp'd a limo, rooms and food.

I was looking forward to some time with my husband since we always have such a good time there together. In times past though we've both been drunk so I was a little curious how it would be with me sober this time.

Basically I found my standards tested many times. Obviously I was offered more than a multitude of drinks. They were everywhere. About 8x an hour a waitress would come by and ask if I'd like something to drink. I'd get a strange look when I'd say, "Yes thank you - a diet pepsi please". It actually didn't affect my good time in any way and for that I was grateful for that blessing.

What I did find was that by not drinking, I was able to see those who drink in better perspective. I'm 34 now, and even if I wasn't Mormon, I'm a little too old to be drinking to get drunk. The women who were my age or older who were looked silly and even a little pathetic to me. It's one thing to have a graceful glass of wine but to be schlepping beer after beer just looks tasteless and loose: something I decided this past weekend that I'm glad to have put behind me for that very reason alone.

My husband's business partner got sloppy drunk, very mouthy, rude, politically incorrect, inappropriate and downright white-trash. Again, had I been drinking I would have found him funny, and excused his behavior all in the fun of the evening. But not being drunk, I found it difficult to accept the comp's that came to us because of him. I didn't want to be around him, not to mention flatter him by letting him assume that I thought it was alright for him to behave so disrespectfully. I let him know in a tasteful and gracious manner what I thought, without jeopordizing my husband's business relationship.

I'm sure I came off as a prude, stuffed-shirt. It's funny because although I don't exactly like being seen that way to anyone, I knew it was only because they were drunk and I wasn't. They just couldn't appreciate there is more to life than a buzz. In comparison, to my friends, I am the life of the party! I love making people laugh, and I make a lot of noise socializing - surely not the quite, shy and stuffed-shirt in my group of friends. I might be a bit prude but that's just me.

Anyway, I was very tempted to have a drink this weekend, at the end of it all. And probably had I been encouraged just a little bit more by my husband, I might have because I love my Corona with a lime, not to mention Tangara & tonic. But Heavenly Father knew my weakness in that situation and blessed me by not creating too much temptation than I could handle at the time. He also helped me see what I was turning my back on in comparison to what I was embracing. When I got on my knees when I was home, I felt the wholeness of his promise. I would have never believed it was possible to feel so much comfort and love. He asks us to give up things that we don't want to, things that we really enjoy - but he truly does give us something better in return. I honestly believe that.