The death of beloved funny man Robin Williams, came as a
shock to a world unaccustomed to facing our own capacity for darkness. The fact
that it was a suicide makes it all the more confusing and difficult for people
to wrap their heads and hearts around.
I have read many thoughtfully written
articles and blogs on the subject. One that particularly affected me was written
by the ever wiser, Russell Brand... (http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/12/russell-brand-robin-williams-divine-madness-broken-world)
Much like Russell, I too have memories of Mr. Williams that
reach deep into my youngest childhood. Being in the safety and comfort of my
grandmother's house, watching him fanatically. I was obsessed with Mork from
Ork. I too, had the pull string doll that talked and came in an egg! He was
such a familiar presence in the lives of my generation, very much like a family
member. Perhaps that is why it has affected us so much. Or perhaps it is
something more. Perhaps it pushes us to recognize suicide in a new and unthought-of
way. A way that infiltrates our very hearts and touches us the way only the loss of a loved one can. I wouldn't dare to speculate about what can cause a person to make such a dire and desperate choice. However, I humbly offer to him, and anyone who suffers in the deep, dark trenches of human sadness, where lie the so-called "demons", just a token of understanding. Be it mental illness, addiction, or just plain sensitivity, many people feel ill equipped to function in this world RIDDLED with suffering. In fact, the sad truth may be that we are all somewhat ill equipped for this experience and the suffering which is the consequence of that, is as old as man-kind itself. It can sometimes overwhelm a person to the point of agony, to the point where even in beauty and joy there is great, heart wrenching pain. When looking upon the face of innocence, or the profound, divinity of love, the sheer wonder of nature, and the cosmic miracle of our very existence, one's heart can be overcome, broken, and quite literally torn apart by the indescribable magnitude, the unfathomable burden of loss, which befalls us to bear.
We, humans have the consciousness to know that our time is
temporary, and are eternally faced with the impermanence of this incarnation.
Many have found solace in this awareness, but many yet, still suffer greatly
over things which are so utterly beyond our ability to control. Could we create
a world without war, famine, drought, evil? Yes. Would it be safe from death
and loss? No. Human beings are eternally plagued by the truth of this. This is
the source of all spiritual seeking. To make some sense of our place in this
universe. To understand as much as possible what the point in this temporary
trip is.
