I don't normally mourn the death of a celebrity, but a moment of silence for Philip Seymour Hoffman. He really was a master of his craft. There aren't that many great actors out there. Most of what Hollywood shows us are pretty people and fluff.
And as a former drug addict, I am sadder still to see him lost to drugs. I know the pain of being an addict. I know what it's like to wrestle with yourself in that respect. The guilt you feel when you give in and buy dope, even though it wreaks havoc on your family and your life.
And then I think about the countless addicts who die every day, alone. I think about the families that are left with the wreckage.
And then I get pissed because I see people say, "It was their own damn fault. Good riddance!" Because that's not what you say about someone when they have a disease, and addiction is a disease or a symptom of a greater underlying illness such as bipolar, depression, or schizophrenia.
So let us not only have a moment for Philip Seymour Hoffman, but all of the people who have lost their battles with addiction.
