I’m sorry, but I can’t NOT say anything…even though this is excruciatingly difficult for me to write about – I just can’t stay quiet for one more second. Please, please, please – stop responding to the news of a suicide with the mention of anything pertaining to the “ultimate act of selfishness”. It is wrong, cruel and unfair in more ways than you can possibly imagine! The news of Robin Williams taking his life yesterday hit me hard. I grew up watching Jumanji, Mork and Mindy, and to this day, Good Will Hunting is a movie that has left an indelible mark on my heart. He was such a talent and while there was a sense he was haunted by something (as we’ve seen with so many individuals in Hollywood who struggled with depression and/or addiction) he was NOT selfish. He gave himself to his craft along with dedicating his time, talent and treasure to the world. Unfortunately, he was overcome by a disease that takes away our belief that we have anything left to offer the world. Over the years, I have known many, many people both personally and from a distance that have taken their own lives. It’s always sad…a tragedy in the deepest sense. And yes, these individuals leave behind a trail of tears and heartbreak as friends and loved ones try to make sense of the why…why didn’t he ask for help…why didn’t he keep trying for me/us/them…why, why, why! The reasons vary, but I can tell you that selfishness is not one of them. Unless you’ve been in that space…that deep, hopeless darkness that calls itself depression…you cannot possibly understand – you just can’t. When depression of that extent has taken a hold of the mind, the heart has already been conquered. There is no thinking about the hurt we may cause others because the brain is no longer functioning due to its own searing, explosive pain and all we can do is think of a way to make it stop. No other thoughts come into play – nothing else exists other than finding a way to stop hurting. It’s impossible to hurt another with our departure when we cannot see any shred of worth in ourselves. I would be lying if I said that those days of my own painful past still come back to haunt me every so often. It’s part of the reason why I’ve committed the rest of my life to being of service, in some small way, to those who are struggling to get through the messiness we call life. Being able to give back to others through what I’ve been through is an absolute blessing! If you know someone who is suffering with depression, please know that their self-centeredness is about self-preservation not selfishness. We don’t need to understand why they feel the way they do, but rather that, right now, they have no other choice. It’s difficult to sit with someone who is that far down in the dredges of depression, but I can assure you that empathy and compassion will go so much farther than judgment and accusation! Have open ears and an open heart and be the someone others feel they can come to in a time of need, without feeling like theyre being judged for how they feel (depression cant be controlled like some may think, the holes it causes run deeper than most imagine, its not a choice to be sad). Just being there may be the only thing someone needs, but doesnt feel worthy of asking for someones time, even if its just a few minutes. Make yourself available, you never know who may need your ear for just a minute, it could be a life-saver. ❤
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 17:22:16 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015