The Bad Choice that Woke Me Up

            I remember clearly—hunkered over myself, on the verge of passing out in a closed theater in the Broadway district in NYC—how I felt and what I prayed, “Please, God, if you get me out of here alive, I will never, ever do this again!”

            It was a hot day in summer in New York City. One of my dearest friends asked me to go on a date with her to make sure this very rich and handsome man, who owned the Danceteria, one of the fanciest discos in NYC in the 80’s, wouldn’t get her drunk and try to take advantage of her. She called me her human condom.

            Eileen was a model and stunningly beautiful. She could have had her choice of any man. But even she had struggles with boundaries.

            The guy picked us up at her apartment in a limo and popped a bottle of Dom Pérignon champagne on the way to a five star restaurant. I am a lightweight. Two drinks and I’m completely drunk. I decided I would pass on the champagne, while the two dates drank.

            I was young and hadn’t experienced much of life, especially anything that was fancy. The limousine was amazing and the way Mr. Hotshot threw around money to get what he wanted at the restaurant was even more intriguing. We had the best table, the best waiter, the best of everything. The chef even came to our table with special appetizers made just for him.

            I had to go the restroom after the first course, and Eileen’s friend followed me there. I went into the stall. Before I had the chance to lock it, he pushed the door closed behind him. I was surprised and shocked at the same time. The dude had a line of cocaine on a beautiful blue glass. He snorted half the line and handed me the plate and the little glass straw. Without thinking, I drew in the line of white powder. He snickered, knowingly. He had gotten what he wanted.

            When I got back to the table, there was more champagne. Suddenly, I didn’t care about drinking or about Eileen. I started to indulge. Before I knew it, there were three empty bottles of Dom Pérignon on the table in front of me and no Eileen and no Mr. Hotshot.

            The check was paid. I sat alone in a restaurant on the upper West Side without a clue of how I would get home or even stand up. Cab fair wasn’t in my budget, so I had to ride the train.

            Before I could remember what happened or how I arrived there, I was doubled over in the front of a closed Broadway theater praying: “Please, God, help me to get home.”

            A wave of energy and peace came over me. It felt as though two angels held me on both sides until I got into my apartment safely and into bed. I never again tried drugs or have drunk more than three drinks at one sitting, let alone an entire bottle and a half of champagne.

            The next morning, besides a terrible headache, all I could think of was how I had let down my dear friend Eileen. If I had barely made it home alive, what had become of her? It turned out that she had much more control than I had. It was my night to learn a lesson, not hers.

            We all have these times in our lives when we sink so low that the only way out is for a Divine Intervention. Thank the Lord for angels and spirits who listen when we are that low. I know that my faith has only grown stronger and stronger since that day.

            When we see others spiraling down or moving toward a place that looks like hell, we have to take into account that their moment with Divine Destiny may be straight ahead of them. Yes, of course, it could be in death, but it could also be a miraculous move toward the light. We are not in control of the world or anyone else. But there is a powerful hand in the universe directing our movements and drawing us close. I know that power, and it can level the heaviest burden.

            Trust in God for your children and friends who have walked away from the light. There is only so far you can go before you meet your Maker. When you do, there is no turning back.