Reality: What A Concept! August 17, 2014
Posted by nrhatch in Health & Wellness, Mindfulness, People.comments closed
Many of the on-line tributes to Robin Williams had something in common.
Instead of looking at life through Robin’s eyes to garner the whys of his demise, bloggers mentioned him, in passing, as a stepping stone to get other issues into the spotlight.
That’s understandable.
It is easier to know man in general than to know one man in particular. ~ Duc de la Rochefoucauld
* Some called for more resources for those who struggle with mental illness.
A laudable goal, for sure, but I suspect that Robin had adequate (if not ample) resources available to him.
* Others called for us to be kinder in our daily doings and dealings.
An excellent suggestion, but I doubt that Robin took his own life because of bullies on the cyber-playground or people looking at him askance.
* Some cited the need for open discussion about depression and addiction.
A noteworthy objective, which I suspect is irrelevant to Robin’s death since he spoke in public forums about these “taboo topics” with great regularity.
* Others encouraged us to lend an ear and really listen to those around us.
Yes! We should do that. And, yet, I’m not convinced that our poor listening skills, even collectively, caused Robin to end his life.
Sometimes talking makes “it” better. Other times, talking just makes it BIGGER.
I could keep dunking the teabag, but you get the idea.
Instead of focusing on the reality of Robin’s life, many tributes gave Robin little more than a passing glance before veering off in other directions.
Not surprising, really ~ our view of reality is skewed because we’re looking at life through a dirty lens and cloudy filter.
When something happens, our experiences, concerns, and viewpoints form an opaque overlay, obscuring reality. We tell ourselves stories and fanciful fictions in a futile effort to create order from chaos and sense from nonsense.
We see the world behind our eyes.
That’s not to say that our creation of ostensible tributes to Robin Williams was misplaced energy. I don’t have a suitable vantage point to understand or oversee all the various ripples set in motion by our actions and inaction.
Perhaps the outpouring of emotion following his death will cause a tidal wave of love and compassion, lifting us high above the surreal landscape. From that heightened perspective, maybe we’ll catch a glimpse of reality as IT IS instead of as WE ARE.
A quiet mind, like the surface of a still pond, provides a more accurate reflection.
Reality: What a concept!
Aah . . . that’s better!
On the outside chance that Robin is reading this in Never Never Land, let me close with his view of reality:
Reality is just a crutch for people who can’t cope with drugs. ~ Robin Williams
Related post: Why We Mourn the Death of Celebrities (Smart Living 365)
Spirit Lights The Way 