Robin, Depression, and my thoughts on both.

Oh why, there's no comprehending

And who am I to try to

Judge or explain

Oh, but I do have one

Burning question

Who told you life wasn't

Worth the fight

They were wrong, they lied

Now you're gone and we cry

'Cause it's not like you to

Walk away

In the middle of a song

© 2009 Rascal Flatts, Lyric Street Records

Robin Williams. When you hear the name, a movie or show probably pops into your head. Jumanji, Dead Poets Society, Night at the Museum, and Aladdin are a few that come to mind for me. There is no way to say it other than he was a comical genius. The stand-up he wrote, the way he performed scripted scenes, and his improv were arguably the funniest thing the comedy world has seen in a long time, if not ever. If a project was touched by Robin, it turned to pure gold-he was a comical Midas. The sad part is, though, is that he was a humble man that would graciously accept praise but never truly take it to heart. Now, I probably sound like I knew him personally. I didn’t. Growing up with him on my television, I’d like to think that I have started to see the man behind the personality that he takes on when he performs. He’s struggled publicly with drugs and alcohol, and so he was not perfect. But he was a human.

Looking through the articles on Robin’s death, I came upon a commenter that said in short ‘he chose to die’. If he was depressed, which a rep confirmed, and he committed suicide (not confirmed at the time I am writing this) that still does not mean it was his “choice.” Clinical Depression is not fun, and takes you to a place that normally you would not go. Robin needed help that he didn't get in time. This is not me saying that his family is at fault for his death, as hindsight is 20/20. The dark places that Depression takes its victims are not easy to crawl out of, and this is one case of that. Robin is, and I hate to say it, a statistic. Too many people do not get help that they need. After they die, we are sad and wish there was something we could’ve done. Most times, the signs were not obvious enough at the time. This could be a lesson, but don’t we always say that when something like this happens? What happens to the lesser-famous people who struggle with what Robin did?

For me, I will hold on to the funny quotes of Robin’s from Aladdin and his stand-up routines (This being my favorite-complete with Robin profanity). The cause of death shouldn’t change the person that lived a full life. Remember the laughter. Be angry, melancholy, or indifferent (adjectives in true Poets style), but all I ask is don’t forget the genius that Robin Williams was. We may not know why he was in a very dark place or why he couldn’t find his way out, but that doesn’t erase the milestones he achieved during his career.

DISCLAIMER: I am neither a doctor nor psychologist. These are purely my thoughts, not to be taken as gospel.