With two kids in high school, I got my share of the uncomfortable talks about sex and alcohol.

So I did my research, consulted experienced parents, watched YouTube videos and mock talked with my wife, before anxiously knocked on the door and started my speech into the crack: “Em… Joe, I know it’s an uncomfortable topic but…”, “Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, DAD, I get it”. As soon as the topic became clear, the door was shut.

The agony and feeling of defeat was so strong that they tripped me into Family Poet Laureate mode. Since there’re no listening ears in my house I post it here for your amusement. You might want to point it to your kids and use it in your talk when the time is opportune:

Celebration

Wine,
the essence of space and time
celebrates harvest
after night and day arduously grow and ferment

Sex,
the consummation of intimacy
celebrates love
The ultimate attraction that is both divine and blind

“No!”,
the resounding denial of temptations
celebrates willpower
that is bestowed only upon mankind

These,
are the things that are reserved
only for celebratory consumption

The Man, the Lion and the Monster

The Man / the Lion / the Monster, the Mind / the Heart / the Genitals, Super Ego / Ego / Id, Plato and Freud seem to agree on the three distinct parts of human soul. As we grow, the Man in you must take the lead, learn to train the Lion and team up with the Lion to tame the Monster.

“Is it the monster in me that urging me to do this thing?” When you’re not sure, you could in turn ask yourself: “Am I celebrating anything?” If not, You probably shouldn’t do it.