Sad

I just finished a show at a daycare, and there was a wonderful little boy, 7 years old, who was so full of happiness and life that he sprang right up and danced, surfed, sang, swam in jello and "bleahed" with an unabashed joy. It made me so happy to be the inspiration for that. But I have to admit that deep inside, I also felt a little sad....
Just about a week ago, I learned that the boy who was part of the inspiration for my song "The Jump Rope Queen," passed away last year at the age of 18. When I knew him back in 1996 he was the state jump rope champion among boys from first grade, and the jump rope queen was the state jump rope champion among girls from first grade, and the lovely coincidence is that they were both in the same class. They jumped rope with that same unabashed joy on the playground, and they were just happy little kids, full of life and promise. I couldn't help but make up a song about them.
Somewhere over the last 12 years something went drastically wrong, however. The young man became involved with illegal drugs, and passed away from an overdose. I keep asking myself over and over, "How does this happen? How do they go from joyful little children to troubled teens?" But if we knew the answer to that, and heeded its message, there would be no teen casualties from drugs, drinking or violence, and they would all grow up to fulfill the childhood promise. I worry about it constantly with my own children; I fear that no matter how many times my husband and I have talked to them about these things, somewhere they might fall into that pit. Oh, that we could be there to make everything right for them 24-hours a day, like we did when they were little!
My heart breaks for his family and friends.
I will always remember him as that joyful little boy, jumping rope like made on the playground, with everyone gathered round and cheering him on.