Several years ago when I was in a relationship with an alcoholic and desperate to understand the disease, I found myself in the self help section at my local book store. Among my half dozen purchases was a poignant memoir written by Caroline Knapp called "Drinking: A Love Story". Caroline's vivid stories imprinted my psyche as if I were a friend in her inner circle who witnessed her binges and rooted for her sobriety. With each chapter, my compassion towards her grew, as did my gratitude for helping me find the courage to deal with my situation. Last night as I was stumbling around online, I happened upon a random blurb referencing Caroline's most recent book, published posthumously. Posthumously, that couldn't be right, but a google search proved the unfortunate information accurate. Two months after being diagnosed with lung cancer, Carline died at the age of 42. The kicker, her death occurred several years
before I read her autobiography. Is her story less hopeful given six years after getting sober she lost a quick battle to cancer? Or is it more notable knowing she didn't put off living her best life one day longer? Truthfully, I'm uncertain. However, this information certainly underscores life's fragility and my desire to never look back with regret. This picture was taken in Baja Sur, California.
I vote for notable - I've been sober 21 years. But if I only got 6 months of all those years it would have been worth it. Dying in the midst of the misery and desperation I felt feels like a nightmare.
ReplyDeleteFeralcompass,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your perspective!
It must have felt like being punched, finding out she had already died when her writing so spoke to you. But the flip side of it is, what if she hadn't written it?
ReplyDeleteBooks (and other art forms) at their best share life experiences hoping to spare or comfort or uplift others. Her words live on and helped you through.
Yep, it felt just like a punch!
ReplyDelete