the high road

9" x  12"

collection of j. turic

desperation is everywhere.  living in a tiny town huddled between two bars, its hard not to notice.    most often it comes in the form of severe alcoholism.  frankly, i'm tired of looking at it.  alcohol, i've lost dear family and friends because of you.  i've lost days upon days to you.  oh alcohol, you're the bondage of the masses, destroying our ambition and stripping us of our creativity, our optimism, our motivation, and our spirit:  when will you leave us be??  many a night i've drifted off to sleep with residual shouts of aggression bouncing around in the alley, threatening to shatter my peace of mind.  the  neverending spray of "fuck you!"s and the "get in the car!"s, or the stumblers who don't know the difference between my home and a toilet...well, they cease to impress me, or scare me, or even catch my attention anymore.  mostly, i've gotten used to it.  i've been there, i've been that person, causing a ruckus, puking my guts, passing out and then sleeping it off for an entire day.  really, haven't we all?  and mostly, it's just sad, just too bad, the lives and the days and the spirits that are ruined by this drug of choice.  what once was a human standing strong and proud is now shadowed by its own impotence under the influence. 

O God, that men should put an enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains! that we should, with joy, pleasance, revel, and applause, transform ourselves into beasts!  

William Shakespeare, Othello  

its our challenge: to rise up out of the ashes.  to turn our own lives around.  to overcome sadness and loss.  to beat the odds.  to impress ourselves.  to leave a legacy of positivity.  to not succumb.  to take the high road.  to live with spirit and integrity.  to be healthy and well.   what are we waiting for?

There are better things in life than alcohol, but alcohol makes up for not having them 

Terry Pratchett