The town in which I attended high school is a small one. It's a town where everyone knows your name, and if you're like me, you probably have at least 30 cousins in the area.
It's a place where we spend most of our lives- living, loving and growing. Many of us will even raise our future families here and watch them leave their mark on the place that made us who we are today.
But lately, this town has seen a dark cloud hover above it. That cloud is addiction.
It seems as though more often than not, I'm scrolling through my news feed and I stumble across an obituary of a former classmate or an old friend. It's sad to read the stories and see the photos of so many young people who lost their battle.
The truth is, each one of us can probably name at least three people who have overdosed and died without having to think too hard.
It seems that in this community losing young lives is all too normal.
Which beckons me to ask, what are we doing to prevent this from becoming "normal?"
While of course many of us don't have huge platforms or opportunities to increase and expand on the drug prevention efforts in schools, we do have the opportunity to be positive figures in our family units.
I won't pretend that I know exactly what goes on in the mind of an addict, but as someone who has been indirectly affected by addiction, I do think what matters most is what goes on at home.
More often than not, I hear people say that "you need to be a parent, not a friend." I for one think it's important to be both. Of course, discipline your child! Don't encourage bad behavior or decisions, but by all means, try your very best to keep an open dialogue going with your children.
Talk to your kids about topics that are maybe a little bit uncomfortable, give them a safe place to ask questions and discuss.
I urge you... if your child does become involved with drugs or anything else for that matter, don't turn your back them. As families, many of us are familiar with the term "unconditional love." So if that term means anything to you, then do your best to show it in trying times.
Do your best to provide them with helpful resources and hold them accountable, but most importantly shower them with love and encouragement. Help them find the motivation they need to become the best possible version of themselves.
Although it may not seem like much, it very well could save someone's life.