Ruined Lives

I am a person who watches way too much television news. CNN to be specific. People who know me well cannot believe I can have this playing in the background so often. But it is an old habit.

In the last month or so, I have heard the stories of ruined lives. Overly powerful men who think they have license to do anything - and then do. And the women and children who love (or loved) them.

Now, I am a person who has a photo of Mel Gibson in my office. I am not fickle with my celebrities or even politicians.

I have done too many insanely incomprehensible things in my life, and not all of them when I was drunk. As a drunk I did things I regretted nearly every day. Things I hoped would never see the light of day. As a sober person, I have done a few things that were incredibly bone-headed.

I have also loved someone who did something disgraceful and it ended up in the local newspaper. My life was turned into a living hell for a period of time, and this event had a lot to do with our relationship ending.

I cannot even imagine having the media at large talking about my genitalia and all of the stupid things I have said. Imagine having every text you sent, every e-mail, every word, analyzed in front of millions of horrified eyes. Granted, I have never had a secret second family, or sent photos of my "parts" to someone else. But as far as the photos, I can't possibly convince myself that I would not have done that when drunk if I had access to all the technology drunks have today. Oh, it is horrifying to me to even imagine!

So, I say a prayer for those people whose lives are being torn to shreds. And I also say a prayer of thanksgiving for the fact that I am not dealing with these things in my life today. Oh, Thank God!