Honest

As I quickly scanned the paper, my eye was drawn to the obituary. I hoped the image was of an elderly person whose family chose a picture from his youth; an elderly man who lived his life to the fullest.  It was not to be. The young, smiling face in the picture was the truth of the matter. This young man, in his twenties, was dead. It was a life cut short. 

The cause of death was openly stated. He lost his battle with drugs and alcohol. It did not say if his heart ceased beating, if his liver could no longer function, if his brain collapsed, or if he ended this  battle with his own hand. 

He was obviously loved. He played baseball from his pre-school days hitting a ball off a tee, to more intense competitions as an adult. His mother, as mothers will do, worked to make a difference, to somehow give her beloved child the tools to win this battle. I know this, because in his obituary it stated that he had begun horseback riding with his mom. 

I do not know this mother, but I do pray peace and comfort as she grieves.