Srinagar, July 11 -- When he entrusted me with his story, I wondered why. Perhaps he hoped that someone would understand and not judge. Perhaps he wanted others to know that addiction is not always the end of a person's story.

His life did not begin with drugs. Like many others, he had dreams, responsibilities, and potential. But somewhere along the way, circumstances, choices, and vulnerabilities led him into addiction. What followed were years marked by loss, regret, and the slow erosion of the person he once was.

Human mysteries can be unfolded in strange ways. I didn't know that I was trustworthy enough to be entrusted with a bad chapter of someone's life. It was a mixture of childhood, family drama, and entry into drug addiction. ...