There have been few individuals, so singularly talented, so extraordinarily gifted, so captivating as Robin Williams. This man was a divinely inspired bolt of comedic lightning. A man who lived only when he was performing for others. A man who understood that the present - that this moment - is all we have, and that it is not to be taken for granted.
It is a tragic paradox that so often the most gifted human beings are also the most tortured internally. Whether it be depression, addiction or numerous other 'mental' illnesses, it manifests in its most devastating form within the most creative, intelligent, energetic, compassionate human beings on the planet.
This has been a very sad year as we lost two of the entertainment industry's most beloved performers -- first, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and now Robin Williams. Addiction and depression obviously played very significant roles in these deaths. It is time to remove the stigmas associated with 'mental' illness and give it the attention it deserves.
The very term 'mental illness' doesn't even make any sense, if you think about it. Depression and addiction, for example, are categorized as 'Brain Diseases.' Last time I checked, the 'BRAIN' is a part of the physical body. So why are certain illnesses classified as 'mental?' The symptoms of mental illness often manifest behaviorally rather than physiologically, and these symptoms unfortunately affect other people in the form of families torn apart, suicides, crimes, etc. Hence, the stigma remains attached to these 'mental' illnesses.
So very sad.
-peace,
Jude
