"beautiful boy"

I just finished reading the most amazing book called "beautiful boy" by David Sheff. It is a memoir - written by the father of an addict. It has to be one of the best books I've read in a long time. It was heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. With 6 kids, I cannot even begin to explain the fear I have that one of them will make some of these horribly devastating choices in life. There is some language in it, and I don't agree with everything that the author says and does - so it may not be right for everyone - but it's a true story, and it absolutely broke my heart. I would be sitting on the couch reading, with tears streaming down my cheeks, and my own beautiful boy (Parker) would come up to me and put his arms around me and ask me why I was so sad. It was so hard to read the story of this boys childhood, he was such a cute, normal, happy kid. He had so much potential - so smart, talented, the world at his feet - then he just spiraled down this path of self destruction.

I learned so much about what drugs (meth specifically) will do to a person - not to mention their family, physically and emotionally. I think that I have a much deeper understanding about addiciton. I've been very critical and naive about "addicts" up until now. I've always taken the attitude that "if they wanted to quit badly enough, they would", kind of a will-power thing. I've been so wrong. These drugs truly cause damage to your brain, that is sometimes irrepairable, and you are no longer yourself. I've always believed that people were either born with an "addictive personality" or they weren't. That part is sort of true - they have linked addiction to genetics. This book gave me an education - I hope I will never need to call on it...

I cannot imagine watching a child, that I gave life to, doing these things to themselves. It scares me to death. I think one of the most important things I learned was not to be naive, and that early intervention is the BEST remedy. I know our family is blessed, I pray that we will continue to be.