In the past week, two people I knew slipped the surly bonds of earth, and life.
Heroin.
I'm not going to pretend that it's a huge loss for me. I wasn't close to them. I knew them well enough to say hi and catch up for a few over a beer, if I was to run into one of them at the bar.
They were close to other people that I care about deeply, however. And it's for them that I am heartbroken.
These two had demons. Everybody does, to a certain extent, but for some they're so strong it takes self-harm to escape them, if only for a moment.
Food.
Alcohol.
Sex.
Drugs.
People cope the way they know best.
Sometimes that way will create so many more demons, and cause so much more damage than what they're trying to escape... but they don't understand.
They want the pain to go away.
They believe they're a burden to everyone and that the world will be better off without them, should their methods make it so.
But it's not true.
Those left behind to deal with the loss are in pain. They wonder if they could have helped. They would have given anything to try. A demon is born for them, now, too.
Help is out there. It's in the most obvious places, and it's where you'd least expect it.
It's there for the taking.
It comes at no cost.
All it takes is to reach out your hand.
Never forget that.
Dave and Joey, I hope you've found peace. I just wish you could have found it here with the people who cared about you.
