Heaven in her mind

I recently came across a profoundly moving video depicting the life of Leah, a 31-year-old woman living on the streets in Phoenix, Arizona.

I did a little more googling and found another video of Leah, which was taken four months before the first. From the 0:58 mark, you can observe the negative transformative effects of her addiction on her physical appearance.

By seeing what addiction did to this woman, I wrote a poem titled "Heaven in her Mind," an attempt to illustrate the stark reality of addiction. It underscores the tragic paradox of those engulfed in personal battles yet willingly surrender everything for an imagined sanctuary - heaven crafted within their minds. The glaring difference in these two videos, captured within a mere four months, is a sad testament to her self-destructive journey to reach her perceived heaven.

Heaven in her Mind

In her mind, she nurtures heaven,
Onlookers perceive the signs. Her battle with addiction evident.
She fosters heaven in her mind,
Strangers discern her sacrifice, her body for the numbing allure of narcotics.
Again, heaven echoes in her mind,
Her neglected appearance, a gift to her heaven
Yet, she clings to the heaven in her mind,
She's paid the price, surrendered all for this imagined paradise.
Left empty with time to reflect, I wonder,
what figments of paradise have I been seduced by in my life?

Thank you for reading this post. I pray, please join me:

Lord, please send help in Leah’s path; soften her heart so she will accept that help. In Jesus’ precious name. Amen