take a step back

I think my Uncle Mike lost sight of how much the world had to offer.

The oldest of six brothers and sisters and the only one with a college degree. That was my Uncle Mike. My dad has told me numerous stories about their childhood together and all the things they got into. My dad told me that Uncle Mike was the scrappiest of the group.

I've written my dad's story on here a thousand times, but today I'll share Uncle Mike's story. Or at least the part of it that I know. 

Uncle Mike is a couple years older than my dad and did a lot of the same activities growing up. Uncle Mike had his bachelor's degree in education from Pitt and even did some substitute teaching. But like my dad he had a dark past. My uncle's drug of choice wasn't alcohol though. 

I don't know when it began and I can't tell you when he stopped, if he ever stopped, or anything else of that sort. Other than substitute teaching Uncle Mike didn't really have a profession. Summers at the cabin, back when he would come up, Uncle Mike would always have on long sleeves. No matter the heat he always had his arms covered. The extra cloth hid his secret from those of us too young to understand. Dad told me that Uncle Mike used to make money caddying and golfing against people. Supposedly he was a real natural at it and was a heck of a golfer. 

In the latter part of his life Uncle Mike bounced around in different apartments in the Pittsburgh area. He had distanced himself from our family thanks to his drug addiction and the only real time we would see or hear from him was at Thanksgiving or Christmas. My uncle wasn't a bad person, he was a lost soul. My uncle did a lot of wrong, but even he had a shot at a silver lining. 

The last time I saw my Uncle Mike was at my grandmother's funeral. Clad in a suit and tie, it was the first time I saw him in anything other than sweats or jeans. At the time It never crossed my mind that I would never see my uncle again. 

Sadly, Uncle Mike didn't find his silver lining, but I know he had one. No matter how far gone he was, no matter how hard he hit rock bottom, no matter what he thought...he had one. 

My wish for my Uncle Mike is that in death he will rest easier than he did while living. 

He deserves that. 

NP: Little Lion Man- Mumford & Sons