Lou Reed in the Darkness and Light

“Some people like to go out dancing / And other people, (like us) they gotta work / And there’s always some evil mothers / They’ll tell you life is full of dirt / And the women never really faint, and the villains always blink their eyes / And the children are the only ones who blush / ‘Cause life is just to die.” Lou Reed

This week we lost a music icon, at least in my eyes.

Some of you don't know Lou Reed. Some of you have him deep in your soul like I do. He spoke from a darker side of life. But he spoke with a soulful gritty voice, of life and death and love. He spoke of the people we turn our faces from, people we should lend a hand to, not turn a back to. At least that's how I feel.

As we've recently seen with actor Cory Monteith, not all drug users are evil. I can honestly say that without exception, EVERY substance abuser I have known, didn't do it for the selfish pleasure of the feel of the high, they did it to feel more comfortable in their own skin. They take the drug, to erase who they are, because there's something about them that they just can't live with. So every day they try to forget who they are. Those are the people who just can't kick it. Whatever it is, from heroin to alcohol. So those of us who are strong, and can last more than a day with just ourselves. We are blessed, we are lucky and shouldn't look down at someone who hurts just to look at himself in the mirror.

“Oh, it’s such a perfect day / I’m glad I spend it with you / Oh, such a perfect day / You just keep me hanging on … Just a perfect day / You made me forget myself / I thought I was someone else, someone good.” Lou Reed

Some of us make it from the dark into the light. Some of us learn how to live with ourselves. Lou Reed did that, without forgetting where he came from. Without having to bury his past. There are so many of us who are ashamed of that past, because of those looks we can get.

Lou fought for his life. His lack of faith in himself cost him his liver. Someone believed in him and gave him a second chance, but it wasn't meant to be.

Fly Fly Away Lou Reed. Your music will be with us forever. That's your redemption and your legacy. Your music will always be in my soul.