People are dying every single day due to a myriad of causes. There are countless nameless, faceless individuals who are only known to a few, and more notable lives whose name is known by millions passing away at every moment of the day. Celebrity status causes the world to look at life and death differently from the everyday person. In the last two years, there have been a string of tragic overdose deaths and suicides among celebrities from musicians to TV show hosts to fashion designers. Notable celebrity passings tend to come with an interesting dichotomy in the media and conversations heard on the street. These heroes become mortals, though their legacies are immortalized. How swiftly they fall from the Mount Olympus of stardom and become recognized for what they authentically were: human beings.
Our heroes, of any walk of life, are still human beings. Off screen, behind the scenes, away from the limelight which paints a different picture of their life, our heroes are normal people. Everyday, our heroes wake up with the same reality we do, however different theirs may be. They are human beings, with feelings, insecurities, hopes, fears, problems, and gifts. For as much as they have to be grateful, they too have despair. Being fed, sheltered, protected, loved, and supported, are no less and no more important to our heroes than they are to us. Unless a celebrity is particularly open about their, personal lives, we see only one side of who they are. We don’t necessarily see their struggles, their breakdowns, their celebrations, or their mourning. What we see is just one small detail in an otherwise complex portrait.
After a notable life is lost, we often hear the media using terms like “even so and so has problems” as though there are a mythical existence of humans who are completely problem free. Men in recovery learn that life happens on life’s terms, regardless of who you are, what you do, where you live, the items you own, or the money you make. Coping with life and all of it’s agreeable as well as disagreeable moments can be hard for anyone to do when life’s terms seem unreasonable. Our heroes are doing exactly as we are doing on a daily basis: the very best they can.
Sobriety in Portland can’t be beat. With a city full of local culture and a culture focused on local nature, life in recovery in Oregon is a constant adventure. Tree House Recovery in Portland, Oregon offers men’s treatment programs inspired by the nature of the Pacific Northwest and the innovative approaches to treatment. We’re transforming men’s lives, inside and out. Call today for more information: (503) 850-2474
