When the facade crumbles...
Have you ever looked at someone and thought, I'd like to be him/her? Everything appears to be perfect in some people's lives. They have the perfect house, the perfect kids, a lot of money and the leisure time to enjoy it. Then, you look deeper past the perfect shell to see the problems: depression, anxiety, need to be accepted. You see the need for everything to be perfect is a result of someone trying to cover up the fact that in reality, everything is not so perfect and you are most likely happier than they. What appeared to be social drinking is really heavy alcoholism. A bottle of wine a night, the need to get up in the middle of the night to get a drink, a few lines of coke when out with friends - these all make for an ugly life behind the perfect image.It's not fun to watch people spiral down this path. It destroys not only their lives but the lives of family and friends. I look at my godfather and see the havoc he created in his life. He lost any rights to see his son and his ex-wife severed all ties with his family, denying the kid the chance to play with his many, many cousins at the family lake home or visit with and get to know his grandparents. He had all kinds of support from his family and friends. People desperately trying to get him to see what he was doing to himself and get himself dried out and away from the drugs. He could never seem to get himself on track. I believe my godfather is currently living on the streets somewhere near Nashville.
Watching someone else slide down this very slippery slope, unable to stop the inevitable fall to the bottom really makes you realize how bad life can get and that while yours may not be as perfect as you'd like, it's pretty damn good.
posted by E @8:00 AM