Let's talk about death

It has taken me a while to process the death of Robin Williams. 

Suicide is a concept I was acquainted with at a very young age, and it’s something that repeatedly entered my life through the years. It has taken away both family and friends. I still don't know what to say about the people I've lost. Once past the shock, and through the grief I can often see the reason why they saw suicide as the best course of action. But knowing why does not lessen our grief and it certainly does nothing to relieve the feeling that there was more I could have done.  

I was young when the man I called my grandfather committed suicide.  I was originally told he had simply passed and mourned him deeply.  When I was told the nature of his death my first reaction was shock and immediately after was anger.  I was angry that this man felt lonely enough that the action he took was to leave his loved ones all alone. I was angry that we hadn't done more, hadn't made him feel more loved and less alone. I was angry that I felt helpless. 

And I suppose that's what it's really all about.  Feeling helpless in the face of these tradigies.  In the wake we are told that there are warning signs, that if we just reach out, if we just care enough we can stop people from taking their lives. But these discussions wouldn't occur if it didn't still happen, if some people weren't still so far into the darkness that our lights cannot touch them. We need to do more for those who suffer from such dispair, and we need to be told that sometimes warning signs just look normal - the jokester still joking or the technology buff buying a new computer - and sometimes there's nothing we can do.

So thank you, Robin Williams, for all the love and laughter you have given to the world. 

And thank you, Trimble, for all the love you have given and compassion you have taught. 

Thoughts from others: The Suicide Paradox

http://freakonomics.com/2011/08/31/new-freakonomics-radio-podcast-the-suicide-paradox/

A Moment for Robin Williams

http://www.sfgirlbybay.com/2014/08/13/a-moment-for-robin-williams/