What Marijuana has Done for Me by Steven

Steven is a 19-year-old computer programmer who has lived most of his life in northeastern Oklahoma. He uncovers the life of the mind, tolerance for others, and the gracious memory of honeysuckles.

The first time I smoked pot, I felt nothing peculiar or foreign. I wasn’t really disappointed because I knew almost nothing of what to expect so I just thought “so what’s the big deal about pot?” I tried it a second time several months afterwards and I felt a little relaxed but that was the extent of my intoxication. Several months later I tried it a third time, whoooaaa!!! I wasn’t sure if I just had to warm up to it or if the stuff I had used prior to that encounter was just poor quality but what I was sure of was that this gear was indeed potent. The time on the digital clock seemed to fly by but the basic sense of time created by the environment around me (moving my arms, walking, watching the sun set, trying to cook ramen noodles [believe me no easy task], watching people talk, hearing myself talk) almost halted to a stand still.

I exhibited all the classic physical signs of intoxication: Red eyes; a serious case of the giggles (note to first time users: DO NOT watch South Park the movie if it is your first time to smoke pot, you will end up feeling like you have done 40,000 sit-ups by the time the show is over, trust me, I know from experience). But besides that, I just plain liked the way it made me feel: Relaxed; introspective; ebullient. There was a creative ease about the concomitant euphoria that I found irresistible. Music that I absolutely thought I would have no business listening to (rap, punk rock, and jazz) suddenly just made sense to me, almost as if I could tell where the artist was coming from. I lost all my stereotypes, all my judgmental attitudes toward certain minorities and individuals. It truly was an awakening. I had a new appreciation and respect for things that I once irrationally dismissed as “beneath” me.

Memories seemed to force themselves upon me, very vivid but very gentle. I started to remember things in my childhood that made me truly happy and joyful. Things I had either forgotten or just simply didn’t give the time of day to. I remembered raising my hands up as a signal for my mother that I wanted to be carried and the utter joy I felt when she would reach down and pull me up to her chest. I realized how much she really did, in fact, love me when I remembered how I longed for her goodnight kisses, of which never ran dry. I remembered the very simple joys of my very simple existence and marijuana helped me relive them all over again. Playing cowboys and Indians with my cousins at our grandpa’s, walking with my grandpa through the pastures behind his house where he would stop and reach up into a persimmon tree to pick one of the luscious fruit for me to indulge myself on, how my sister, my brother, and I would spend hours at the honey suckle bushes extracting that oh-so-prized drop of nectar that we couldn’t seem to get enough of while avoiding the “mean” bumble bees.

The list goes on and on but the point is, this plant made me realize that there is something to live for; the day to day simple pleasures of life that our society has ignored, neglected, trampled under its feet, raped and basically destroyed. It made me realize that life isn’t all about being numero uno, acceptable to the majority’s point of view, being the sexiest, smartest, richest or what have you. Now, sometimes I just sit there and open and close my fingers and think, “Isn’t that amazing? My fingers are moving just because my brain is telling them to.” Some people may think, “Man! He’s just been smokin’ way too much pot!”, but they’re probably just envious of the fact that I can genuinely and honestly appreciate the intricacies of life. I never thought I would genuinely and honestly ever find solace in anything but when it happened, believe me, I almost cried.

Cannabis has had a profound impact on my life to the point where I no longer walk down the street and see a guy with a green Mohawk and think to myself, “****ing punk, I bet he don’t even have a job,” or see a man sitting on the curb with a cup full of change sitting in front of him and think “get a job, you dirty, worthless bastard.” Yeah, I know it sounds bad, and that is why I am so glad to be rid of that mentality. It motivated me to learn more about how I can help people that want to be helped and how to live in peace and total acceptance of those that don’t. It motivated me to study philosophy, algebra, chemistry, and history on my OWN time. And as I stated before, the list goes on and on. But most of all, take it or leave it, it serves as a means of enlightenment. I am much more open-minded and unbiased. And I’m not going to deny it, getting high makes me feel good, and isn’t that what life is all about?

3 Responses to “What Marijuana has Done for Me by Steven”

  1. Aaron says:

    True

  2. Steven, I am so glad to have heard another testify as to the use of Mariuana and it’s inlightenment. I know that Noah put every herb on the Ark as well for God told him to gather all things and plant them to grow about the Earth. I am a Theologian…I don’t believe in lacing it but to smoke it natural no addatives just cow poo and tlc.

    Every time I smoke, I get great ideas, I have to write them down because I forget, I had a brain injury in Nov. 10′ I have just been freed of the crazy face and all around headaches, my brain stem was driven into my brain 1and 3/4 inch. Talk about crazy, wow! I wasn’t me anymore, I was in extreme pain and I had a friend give me some bud it was skunk and stunk, lol. You are not going to believe this, sure you will…you could smell it all over the house buried it into the coffee canister and solved that problem really fast. I smoked it and WOW-WE! Someone hold this Preacher back for I was totally inspired…I began to write for the headache for the first time w/o toradol shots was gone finially. Now, I am in traction as soon as the brain heals from the pit the stem drove into it, I will need no more skunk, I can go back to commercial although, I am spoiled to the good stuff now, as always. It takes to much of commercial apposed to the good stuff which takes a dab. Thank you for your inspiring letter for it made me feel as though I could freely speak my mind on how I get most of my sermons I feel the Lord giving me ideas as to what the people need to hear and boy am I fired up! I never smoke 24 hrs. before a sermon or 24 before studing out what I smoked to get inspiration to teach about then the notes are taken and away and oh the fun and the spirit is on fire I love my job…if you ever have a spiritual problem, I pray you feel free to write me at my address above or e me. I love all of my brothers and sisters in the blood and free gift God the Father gave us to choose or loose and you know that is being covered by the blood of Jesus and being baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God in the name of Jesus I pray you are well and blessed indeed.

    Thank you so much, for I don’t feel like the only one that gets the same affect as you. Praise the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. The one and only true God the creator of all things…from heaven to space to earth, animals, all that grows and flys, last but not least us. Everything man has created and discovered has been made from the earth which Father God made which all comes from one way or the other…I would love to hear back from U.

    Later,
    Pastor, S. Bergeron
    PS. I don’t have spell check Steven, lol.

  3. Alex says:

    Dear Steven,

    WOW! I have never heard of anyone else experience the same enlightenment as me. I am so amazed by the relationship of memory and marijuana. Every time I smoke… I sit and daydream about how I lived a typical day in my childhood. I try to wake up and remember everything I did. I remember all the great friends and relationships I made. Life is a gift and should not be taken for granted. Marijuana can slow things down and expand ones mind. It really does put everything in perspective! Thank you for sharing!

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