Sticks & Stones: Updated Advice In Ever Evolving Spaces Poem by Eric B. Vest

While instructing a public speaking class, an English Reading Skills class, and Humanities class dealing with movie analysis, the death of Whitney Houston occurred. Prior to that by a few months, Amy Winehouse had died. I began remembering all of the great singers who had truly amazing vocal ability and how the best of them often have fallen victim to drug use (predominantly from 'uppers') ....and, common sense tells you that if you're down, you want to go up...if you still value a gift like singing and thinking you are being loved for that gift. Of course, great artist should be loved for their artistry and talents they share with those of us in the world who may not perform, but have our impressive skills also. But, I began thinking of how much focus is given to the addiction and the drug use as the problem...and how little (to no) focus is ever put on the way the media and public talk, show, and print things about those celebrities that who don't deserve the type of treatment they often receive....And, on ANY level of existence....no being should have to go through the refusal, and torture of being mocked and made out to look like a failure.