My Brother is addicted to opiates, and has been for more than 20 years.
I love my Brother more than I loved my Parents, but maintaining a healthy relationship is always hard.
The other day my Brother asked me to commit a felony to get him opiates.

I almost cried. My Brother knows that my ex-wife was an addict and it broke up my last marriage.
My Brother knows that opiates killed his other brother two years ago.
My Brother knows that opiates killed his little sister Cara and her mother as well.
Killed his Brothers Father also.

He just can’t stop.
When he asked me to get him opiates, he asked me to risk giving up everything.
I would lose my 6 figure salary at my government job, my security clearance, possibly lose my house and be ostracized by my family and community. Not to mention probably going to prison.

He wanted to spin it like I need to do this for him because I’m a brother, but a good brother does not let his brother kill himself with stupid pills, a good brother protects their family from harm.
In that moment, my Brother did not see the harm they were doing or the disrespect they pay to everyone, they only saw their greed for Opium.

Every time he drops out of contact – stops answering texts, I can’t stop imaging him laying on his kitchen floor dead, covered with vomit and urine.

Got damn the pusher-man. Addicts are liars who only care about one thing, getting their next fix.
Eventually, someone will have to take care of his family… His children…
Sometimes I hate this world.

Forty-Nine

The sage has no mind of his own.
He is aware of the needs of others.

I am good to people who are good.
I am also good to people who are not good
Because Virtue is goodness.
I have faith in people who are faithful.
I also have faith in people who are not faithful
Because Virtue is faithfulness.

The sage is shy and humble –to the world he seems confusing.
Men look to him and listen.
He behaves like a little child.

Tao Te Ching by Lao Tsu
Translation by Ray Burgess