Alive (and kicking)

I got the worst possible call anyone can get this morning. Sheryl called distraught and weeping as I was getting dressed to tell me that her youngest daughter, Jade, had committed suicide. I've spent the morning comforting her and trying to find out what happened, along with Sheryl's older daughter and her new husband.

Jade is 25 and living by herself back in Australia. She's struggling with heroin addiction and the related criminal lifestyle. The distance and time of day made it hard to make sense of what happened, but after several hours of desperate calls to Sydney hospitals and police stations in now appears that Jade is not dead, but may be attempting to disappear in order to avoid a jail sentence for credit card fraud.

She left some angry messages on her mother and sister's voicemail in the middle of the night (day time there). They both woke to find a voicemail from a friend of Jade's telling them that she'd overdosed and died. Who would do such a thing? My mind reels at the selfishness and cruelty behind her actions.

Shortly after we pieced together the facts I drove home to go into the office for the afternoon. Alive And Kicking was the first song I heard in the car. Thank God she's alive, but she's certainly kicking as well...

Listening to: Alive And Kicking by Simple Minds from Once Upon a Time.