The young lady on this page is a living, breathing human being. The pictures are from the New York City Police Department and chronicle the downward spiral of her life over a period of fourteen years. One would imagine that in picture one, she appears about 18 years old. Her eyes show she is full of life, and indeed, she has a self assured air about her. She has no idea what awaits her over the next few years.  I don’t know what she was arrested for in #1, I’m sure it wasn’t anything too terrible – maybe she was caught with a couple of joints, maybe a beer. I’m sure she would have told you that she “had it in control” and “it’s my life anyway”. That’s the way it’s presented on the billboards and on TV.

How bad can it be? “My favorite actor or singer sucks that stuff down like water, or does my drug, and he looks great”.

In only 4 months, # 2 shows a party girl that is developing some rough edges. “But, that’s O.K., I can stop anytime”.

In # 3 she’s still pretty brazen, but sin and the world are starting to wear on her. She has no idea what lies ahead for her.

#4 shows a crack head, doing things she never even imagined to get high.

In #5 & #6 she is owned by a pimp. She gives her body for spare change to support the pimp that owns her and is beaten for not producing. She no longer gets high for fun, now she consumes drugs so she can stand the smell of the men that use her.

That’s the problem with sin – it will take you where you never thought you’d go, keep you longer than you wanted to stay and cost you more than you wanted to pay.

Sin is a magic act – we marvel with wide eyes at the wonderful illusion , but by the time you see how the trick is done, it’s too late.