BRATTLEBORO — I didn't know Jeremiah Crompton well, but I do know that he was a tortured soul. I could see it in all of my interactions with him.
I have experienced what crazy things addiction can do to someone. It hijacks the brain and can kill the soul. Fortunately, some of us survive, rebuild, and move on.
It's hard to have compassion when you are watching someone sabotage their life. But, as Amée LaTour writes, simply being kind is the right thing to do.
Members of our society need to protect themselves from addicts who steal and cause harm - there is no doubt about this. But there are those who simply are lost in their pain.
There are other Jeremiahs out there right now who are desperate for a small token of kindness while they struggle through their own demons.