I Don't Drink—

When people talk about drinking, they may mean different things, so I think it is expedient if I begin by explaining what I mean when I say that I don't drink. I occasionally partake of alcoholic beverages, usually wine with dinner, but I have never drunk more than 24 ounces of alcoholic beverages within the space of an evening. I'm not a teetotaler, but I don't drink.

And Here Is Why

There's a very simple reason why I don't drink or use any kind of drug which could reduce my inhibitions or, to be more precise, my self-control.

Aside from the dangers of litigation or life-threatening stupidity inherent in the overindulgence in alcohol and in the indulgence at all in psychoactive drugs; Aside from the extra wear on the body's complex systems; Aside from the risks of flashbacks, blackouts, and other detrimental effects; I have a personal reason I don't do anything which could cause me to do things I would not normally do.

Simply put, I know too many secrets.

Oh, I have one or two things I would not wish to volunteer (though I might be inclined to reveal them if anyone were imprudent enough to ask), but the bulk of the danger lies not to my reputation as a nice guy or whatever. No, the bulk of the secrets I know are not my own. I have been entrusted, over the years, with information some people might not tell anyone other than their spouses. People who have known me for any length of time trust me, because they know I will not reveal something told me in confidence unless not doing so would violate God's law.

I have even been entrusted with things people did not intend to reveal, but afterward would say something along the lines of, "Oh, well. It's okay, because Skreyola won't discuss anything confidential he isn't sure a person already knows;" and this is true. I won't discuss anyone's phone number or address, etc., unless I know from my own experience that the person asking already knew the current information.

I am very careful about this because I know how much I value my own privacy.