We Weep Tonight For A Man Who Made Us Laugh

We Weep Tonight For A Man Who Made Us Laugh.

We Weep Tonight For A Man Who Made Us Laugh

Wait, what? Robin Williams is dead? What? And it was suicide, death by his own hand? What?

That seems to be the reaction we all had today, the reaction of people across the country. We can’t believe that one of our heroes, our laugh-makers, our comedians, our connectors…. is dead. And we really can’t believe that he is dead by his own hand.

But that’s what the news people are saying. And that’s what’s being reported on all sorts of news outlets. And that’s the information that is flying around the social media world. ROBIN WILLIAMS IS DEAD AND IT APPEARS TO BE SUICIDE.

We are stunned. We take a deep breath when we see the breaking news. We can’t wrap our minds around it. Because, we say,……. why would he, of all people, take his own life? Why would he, one of the funniest people we know, take his own life? Why would he, a person who everyone LOVED so much, take his own life? Why would someone so loved take his own life? The questions will probably never be fully answered.

We are all stunned. We have no words, no answers. Our social media sites are lighting up like so many fireflies. We are sad.

What we do know is that our comedian friend and hero had been battling depression. And we do know that’s a significant factor that often leads to suicide. It doesn’t make our loss any easier, though. And it definitely doesn’t make any losses we may have suffered of people closer to us any easier.

But, we do know that depression is an illness that can strike any of us at any time. So, what can we do about that, especially since it might mean that we lose fewer loved ones, or heroes, or both? 

It’s both easy and hard…. We can listen. We can ask questions. We can pray/meditate/do yoga. We can call for help when we or someone we love needs help.

I thought I had a good handle on this post. Then I read the FB post of my son, which showed me that all of us collectively, and across generations, are mourning… not just those of us who remember “Mork and Mindy.”

My son said,”Robin Williams taught us all so many life lessons growing up, through his characters and through himself. For those we will be forever honored and grateful. What did he teach you?” And his friend Tom replied that Robin Williams said, “I used to think the worst feeling was feeling alone. But the truth is the worst is being with people who make you feel alone.”

And then Tom told his FB family, “So I have amazing friends who fight that. And make me laugh and love life daily.”

What a legacy from a funny man, a man who made us laugh until we cried tears of joy. And whose death today made us cry tears of sorrow and of pain. RIP, Robin Williams. And may our wish be that no one else is so sad they end their own lives.