This weekend we got the news of another celebrity death that looks to be tied to substance abuse. When you hear about a superbly talented person, blessed beyond belief, unable to break free from the stranglehold of addiction, you realize what a powerful force it is. And even though the news wasn't particularly shocking, you couldn't help but feel a profound sense of sadness over the waste of such talent; over the loss of a young girl's mother. But that's the thing about addiction. It doesn't care how rich you are, how smart you are, or how loved you are. It's an equal opportunity destroyer.
As someone who's watched a loved one struggle with similar behavior, I sympathize with what Whitney Houston's family must be going through. It's the hardest thing in the world to watch someone you love reject a way out, convinced they can "handle" it. You can beg, plead, cry, and yell; you can try to reason and inform but none of it will do a damn bit of good until the addict is ready; until they are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Then, you might have a fighting chance to get through.
Watching the news coverage this weekend made me more grateful than ever that our family is getting that chance.
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