Tuesday 12 August 2014

In Loving Memory of a True Legend


I could not believe my eyes when I first found out that Robin Williams had passed. I thought to myself "NO! This has to be a hoax! Terrible Prank! No way this is real!"

I was mistaken.

I quickly logged onto my news app and found out that it was death from an apparent suicide. This broke my heart in more ways then one.

Some of you might think that it doesn't make sense for me to be so distraught at his passing, given that I had never met him, and had no personal ties to him whatsoever.

But, given the reactions that have blown up all over Facebook and Twitter, the outpouring messages of love for him and the utter sadness that seems to be weighing down on all of us like a heavy rain cloud, I think I can safely say that I am not the only one that feels the way I do about what happened.

There are so very few people in this world that I feel are genuinely beautiful people to their very core. People that are pure in the work that they do, and in the way they share love and happiness with others.

Robin Williams was one of those people.

He had the uncanny ability to reach right into your soul and tickle your funny bone, the way only a close beloved family member could. The ability to build a sense of closeness with every audience member at his stand up shows, and the ability to win your affection for him with every role he played.

I loved each and every one of his movies, tv shows, stand up acts, characters and the like. Even the really bad ones, and it was because he never tried to be something he wasn't. There was a relatability and realness to every character he played.

From the crazy scientist in Flubber, he taught us to never stop believing in your dreams, even if everyone around you feels that they are unattainable and will never work.

From the Loving husband in What Dreams may Come, He showed how powerful true love can be, and that if you've found it, to do whatever is humanly possible to hold onto it.

From Peter Pan in Hook, he showed how important it was to never let go of your childhood innocence and imagination.

One of my all time favourites, however, was Mrs. DoubtFire. This one is closest to my heart because the story mirrored perfectly how I felt when my parents separated. Not only that, but the fact that Robin and my dad looked like they could be twins made me love this character all the more, especially when I was little Natalie's age (the youngest daughter in the movie) when the movie first came out.

I used to watch it over and over again, because he reminded me so much of my dad, and it helped me feel closer to him when I wasn't able to see him and missed him so much.

I think its because of this character that I feel a more personal loss with him being gone. Like it was my real father who had died. I know that that may come off a bit nonsensical, but its true.

For all of the people that knew him personally, his friends, coworkers, colleagues, family members and anyone who had the chance to share a laugh with him face to face, I say that you are the luckiest of us all.

You are the luckiest because you got to experience first hand all the wonderful qualities I mentioned above.

So this ones for you Robin. I hope we all get to share a laugh with you up there someday, and I hope you found the peace you were searching for.

RIP

No comments:

Post a Comment