Linkin Park

Don't get me wrong I love rock music, but when I was looking to see how much Linkin Park tixs were when the come to SLC on March 8th, it reminded me of a guy I knew.
As well as a lot of you perhaps, during the last two months of my mission I had a lot of personal learning moments that have helped me gain perspective on a lot of things. On one particular instance there was a young guy who was attending school at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Just so you can picture him in your mind he had punk black hair, a pierced tongue, and big gauges in his ears. In short, 'emo' But he was such a nice kid.
During our first discussion he was so happy, and even cried a bit. He told us to come back so we did. During our second discussion he told us about his failed family life, and then he showed us his room and his guitar etc. On his wall he had posters of Linkin Park all over the place. I knew who they were, but I didn't know much of their music cause they became big right before I left on the mission. He told us how the pain went away when he drowned himself in that kind of music. We tried so hard to get him to do productive things like read, and go to church, we even helped him write a letter to his parents. But every time we came back it was as if we had to start at ground zero again. I tried to understand why.
I remember thinking at the time it was because of the music he listened to all day. Linkin Park. It was hindering his progression. As long as he relied on destructive music to comfort him he could not progress. He even became hostile at times for no rational reason. Eventually, we had to let him go.
Now, I've been home for over 4 years, and I've listened to plenty of Linkin Park. I forgot about that time and place almost until I bought tickets to support the very same thing that contributed to my one time friends destruction.
It's pretty sad to myself, and a bit ironic I guess. That I, the one who flew thousands of miles to save a soul from destruction, was almost willing to pay 40 dollars to front row tickets to contribute to my own. Perspective.