For all of the wild behavior I engaged in my high school and college years ... and there was a lot of wild behavior, trust me ... I never got involved with drugs. I had friends who took drugs, lots of drugs, and the really nasty ones at that. And some of those friends ... well, some of those friends are no longer alive because their addiction to drugs eventually killed them. I remember one friend in particular ... such a beautiful, intelligent, talented girl whose life was consumed, torn apart and eventually taken by her addiction to cocaine. She had so much promise ... such a bright future ... so much to offer not only to those of us who knew her personally but to the entire world as well. I'm sure she didn't think she would become an addict the first time she snorted the white powder on the mirror at a party ... I'm sure she kept telling herself she could quit anytime she wanted to ... I'm sure she didn't plan to die on the bathroom floor in a rundown apartment building. I heard that several years before her death she had gone to rehab and had been clean and sober for a while. But the demon of addiction returned ... the demon returned and claimed the life of my friend.
When I saw the news yesterday about the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman, I was deeply saddened as were millions of people around the world. He was without question one of my favorite actors of all time ... an actor who made his craft seem effortless and the characters he portrayed believable and real. As I scrolled through several of the breaking news stories on the Web, I hoped the news was a hoax or a rumor. But as more and more accounts and details began to emerge, I realized that it was indeed true ... Philip Seymour Hoffman had been found dead in his apartment, and that the suspected cause of death was a drug overdose. Another beautiful, intelligent, talented person whose life was consumed, torn apart and eventually taken by addiction ... another life claimed by the demon of addiction.
There's been a steady stream of media attention and commentary surrounding Mr. Hoffman's unexpected passing, and I know that many people have little to no sympathy for someone who dies as the result of a suspected drug overdose. It hurt my heart last night when I read the following words ... "He chose to stick that needle in his arm, and he got what he deserved." Please don't misunderstand me ... I've seen far too many lives destroyed by the effects of drug abuse, and I am in no way condoning, justifying or encouraging the acceptance of drug use. What I am doing is telling you that it hurts my heart to witness such a lack of compassion within those words ... where is the compassion for Mr. Hoffman's three young children, other family members and friends who are grieving the loss of their father, brother, son, nephew, cousin and friend? Where is the compassion for so many others who have family members or friends or co-workers who are fighting their own demons of addiction? Where is the compassion for those in our lives whom the demon is haunting, torturing, consuming and threatening to destroy? Really ... seriously ... honestly ... where is the compassion, friends ... where is the compassion?
A friend posted the following words on Facebook today, words that seem to me the most fitting way to end this evening's post ... words that cause me to remember that things are not always what they seem ... that many are fighting demons of their own ... that I need to always, always, always have both my eyes and ears open ... that I need to remain steadfast, to stay, to help, to love, to listen.
"Another loss of talent & more importantly, a human life, to an all-too-familiar demon. Look out for your friends & family people. If you suspect they are fighting a horrible war, don't walk away from the scary stuff. Give them your support."
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