The Loss of Robin Williams

When Robin Williams died I mourned his loss by watching movies he was in. I excitedly introduced my kids to Mrs. Doubtfire and was internally joyful when they fell in love with her and laughed at her antics. 

I was very saddened by Robin Williams’ death, but I was not surprised. What I mean by that is that “we” never know another person’s pain or sorrow unless they choose to share them with us; and we all have pain and sorrow. Maybe it’s my counselor brain speaking or just my life experience, but I am never truly surprised when someone attempts or commits suicide, deeply saddened yes, but never surprised. 

What affected me the most about Robin Williams’ death is how he devoted his life to making other people laugh and cheering other people up during their darkest hours. All while he was deeply saddened himself, dying slowly on the inside. His comedy (and from what I have read since his death) his truly kind, thoughtful and generous inclination to help others was a mask he created, in my opinion without having known him, in an effort to make himself feel better, and I don’t mean in the way that some people who have a lot give to those who are less fortunate as a way to make them feel better for having so much. No, I mean in a way that his pain grew inside his head while his heart gave so much to so many.

I have read stories about him requiring that people who were homeless be given jobs on his job sets. I read a story about how giving he was in his home city of San Francisco. In one such story I read he would drive up to a kid run car wash and ask what school they were from, what they were raising money for and then would pull out all the money in his wallet and say he didn’t have time to get his car washed all while handing over the wad of money in his hand. On more than one occasion I have read how he has helped people who were homeless get jobs. 

While Robin Williams was making millions of us laugh (and cry) he was making a difference in so many other people’s lives in such a way that those of us who paid $5, $7, $9 or more to watch his movies couldn’t even imagine.

Also since his death people all over the internet have been posting quotes from his movies; words that he spoke in a script about suicide. I wonder if he even remembered speaking these lines among the millions he spoke in front of a camera? 

Robin Williams hung himself after years of millions of us hanging onto his every word. I hope that Mork, Mrs. Doubtfire and Patch Adams among the many others he remarkably played removed themselves from Robin Williams at the time of his death making way for eternal peace to reside inside Robin Williams the person, father, husband, and son…..na nu na nu

I think he would have wanted me to end with a laugh :)