Our children find themselves in a time with which we (their parents) aren't familiar with. Whether it's constant bullying, or neglect from parents who're (unintentionally) too busy to pay attention to, or just outright indifference based on the socioeconomics of life... or perhaps we don't fit any of those criteria and are still dealing with kids these days just being kids... associating with people (without our knowledge) who bring them to such a low point in life, or perhaps just trying to manage a relationship with a child that has decided to go his/her own way, despite being there for them all the while.
There are many reasons why our kids these days choose the tougher path.
And it's not always the blame of a parent.
I consider myself fortunate that I awoken one morning, in the wee hours of the morning, to go relieve myself at the bathroom upstairs. Saw the light on in my son's room. Knocked on the door, after hearing moaning and wheezing. Thank God that I took it upon myself, afterward, to reach above the exterior door trim to find the the makeshift key to open his interior door lock. I found him with a needle in his arm and wheezing for breath, fighting for his life.
This was a decade ago, but not a day goes by without me reliving that day. By the grace of the Almighty - I was concerned enough to investigate, which ultimately saved his life.
Both he and I remember that day all too well.
He's moved on from that phase, thankfully. But there's not a day that goes by that I don't think about that night.
To this very day, when I get the urge to get up in the middle of the night to go pee, as funny as it might sound, I still feel motivated by what I encountered that night over a decade ago. It could've just as easily evolved as a tragedy, another glaring statistic in what has become, these days, a sobering epidemic.
I consider myself blessed that I simply needed to relieve myself that night... to think that this happened out of happenstance is beyond my belief of a higher being and faith.
Yet I'll never forget it.
The stuff our own parents had to deal with are small potatoes in the scheme of things. Parents of kids these days, and some of them not kids, but adults, is a lot more serious than what my own parents ever had to deal with. Not that drugs weren't around while I was growing up, but it was a different time. The recreational drugs were more recreational than deadly.
Just wanted to share. I've been there, but thankfully was spared of a lifetime of grief wondering what I might've been able to do differently, all because I needed to go to the bathroom that evening. And for some to question why I don't believe in God, or have a higher faith.... it's beyond me. I don't care what you believe. I only know what I have personally experienced.
Regardless of your faith or what you believe, however, no parent should ever have to go through that, or losing a child because of depression. It just leaves an huge hole in your heart, not to mention the unwarranted guilt left behind.
I only say these things to say to Jay - much of the time it's not our fault. I was retired, spent a lot of time with my kids, did everything within my means to keep them on the straight-and-narrow. But sometimes it just doesn't work out that way, and we're left to deal with the aftermath.
God bless you, Jay.