Harold Keller / L’Observateur / November 29, 2000

As we approach the Christmas season, I’m reminded that more alcohol is consumed during this period than at any other time of the year. The alcoholindustry does a great marketing job of advertising their drug – alcohol.

The barrooms are usually crowded with people looking for excitement and what they call a good time. I was one of those people that allowed theattraction of the barroom lights to rob me and my family of quality time and of being the godly husband and father for which I was created.

I thank God that He has removed the blinders from my eyes. Many years ago,I looked for happiness in all the wrong places. It is a known fact that alcoholhas wrecked more families than anything else has.

A convict in the Joliet, Ill. prison wrote the following poem a few years ago. Ipray that it will touch someone as much as it did me:

The Bar

The name of each saloon’s a Bar The fittest of its names by far.

A Bar to Heaven, a door to Hell; Whoever named it named it well.

A bar to manliness and wealth, A door to want and broken health, A Bar to honor, pride and fame, A door to grief and sin and shame; A Bar to hope, a Bar to prayer, A door to darkness and despair; A Bar to honored, useful life.

A door to brawling, senseless strife; A Bar to all that’s true and brave.

A door to every drunkard’s grave; A Bar to joys that home imparts, A door to tears and aching hearts; A Bar to Heaven, a door to Hell, Whoever named it named it well.

HAROLD KELLER writes this column as part of his affiliation with the Get High on Life religious motivational group. To reach him, call 652-8477.

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