I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.
-- Martin Luther King, Jr.
KingMidget's Ramblings
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This One Hit Me
Posted by on August 11, 2014
First thing this morning, I read Aussa Lorens’ latest. I was already to write a post about it. About who reads my blogs and who reads yours and what do you do about that. But, then I heard that Robin Williams died.
I am somebody who is so averse to celebrity worship and all of the attention we pay to “famous” people, but this one hit me. I never worshipped Mr. Williams and didn’t really follow him except for growing up watching Mork & Mindy, and spending my adult life seeing him in the movies, clips of his stand-up, and his occasional appearances on talk shows. If you have a chance, go to YouTube and type in Robin Williams Stand Up. Spend a few minutes with him. You’ll come away laughing.
The man was amazing, never stopping his search for a laugh. And I think that’s what struck me about him. I always had the sense that he was filled with sadness, that he was a tragedy waiting to happen. Even when he was laughing, his eyes told a different story. I think he was a little boy in a man’s body constantly searching for love and approval the only way he knew how. By trying to make us laugh. He succeeded at that. Making us laugh at least. It appears he didn’t get the love and approval he needed. Which is a shame.
He was in a movie that is and always will be one of my favorites. Dead Poets Society. I’ve always thought he was the rare comedian who was even better at dramatic roles and this movie proves it. It’s a masterpiece. Here is one of my favorite scenes from the movie, which conveniently enough is titled on YouTube “My favorite scene from Dead Poet’s Society.
It’s interesting, as I struggle with my internal editor blocking the flow of words for me, I find that scene even more compelling because if it’s about anything it’s about that little voice that lives inside all of us. The voice that tells us not to try, not to put ourselves out there. That tries to convince us that we are not worthy.
And, here’s the final scene from the movie.
As somebody in the twittersphere suggested, we should all be standing on our desks tonight.
Seize the day. Make your lives extraordinary.
KingMidget's Ramblings 
So upsetting. I was standing outside my car at the gym when it popped up on my phone, and I just started yelling. I deal with suicide at work all the time but I just kept wanting to be like “But what about Patch Adams? What about Dead Poets Society?” But the reality is that no one is safe from depression
Yes. I heard about it at work and didn’t really think much of it. Another celebrity dead. But on my drive home I started thinking more about it and it’s just sad. A shame he couldn’t conquer his demons.
I just read a blog post moments before yours and learned he died. I hadn’t heard it before then. I’ve been busy dealing with my youngest son’s high school orientation today. How sad. He was a talented man. Like you, I don’t tend to get too caught up in the lives of celebrities. After all, they put on their pants one leg at a time like the rest of us, but I think the person whose death really affected me was Steve Irwin’s a few years back. He was such a vibrant personality, and he’d taken such risks in life that it was horrifying to have him go out in such a freak accident. I still get a twinge of sadness when I see a pic of him.
I just looked it up and saw it was a suspected suicide. I should’ve inferred that from your post. What a shame to think he saw no other way out.
Yep. Suspected suicide. He has battled drugs and depression much of his life. As I just wrote over on Facebook, it amazes me that he was one of those rare celebrities who seemed liked and loved by everybody and it’s a shame he couldn’t hold on to that and continue to live his life.
I didn’t know this. Very sad. I thought he was an amazing entertainers, about as bugnuts crazy as anyone out there, but still with a heart. Glad you linked to DPS, fantastic movie.
Bugnuts crazy certainly describes his comedy. You got the sense that he couldn’t possibly end a sentence without first trying to get a laugh.
Suicide is something too close to me. Mother, first cousin who was more like a sister, “best friend” just a couple of years ago…a happy-go-lucky cheerful person always lifting up those around her. You can’t help but feel as if you failed these people, yet you know only they were ultimately responsible for their own lives. My heart goes out to his family and dearest friends. Depression and bipolar are serious afflictions.
Yep. With him it just makes me wonder how he couldn’t see all of the good he brought to people. The laughter and the entertainment and let that be his path to a longer life.
I love Dead Poet’s Society. To this day, it still influences me. He was such a singular talent and a comedic genius, but like you said, also did so well with dramatic roles. I hope he is at peace now.
Yes, unfortunately for me, what the movie keeps reminding me of is that I have yet to seize the day. It’s always … tomorrow.
Maybe in a way that could be his legacy. He never held back, his improvised material was phenomenal. No one has ever come close to his genius there. It’s a lesson for me, too. Why wait for tomorrow?
that made me so incredibly sad yesterday. to know that someone who spent his life making people laugh, died alone and depressed.
Yep. It’s a shame he couldn’t co-opt some of the happiness he provided to others for himself.
Part of his legacy will be that his incredible sense of humor contributed to lifting up others experiencing depression. Laughter is very good medicine!