There are tearful smiles on the faces of many as we mourn one who we can only remember as the one who brought us joy. It is a difficult time of even the farthest of acquaintances, and yet I being among those on the outskirts trying to catch a glimpse felt the need to write even as I process the news. It is heartbreaking to think of the death of a loved one, and we are left with broken hearts as we try to stretch our minds to the limits in an attempt to understand the intentions of a man who took his own life.
"Genie, you are free." The tweet reads. Yes, in some ways we believe that death is freedom from a painful life, but how often in this belief do we drown out the voices of those saying, "free? What about this freedom? I would like that too." In our swiftness to recognize the end of another's pain we forget that our stance may give others permission to seek their own freedom and to find it.
My prayer tonight is not just for the family of Robin Williams, though I do pray that in this time of unquestionable grief that they do find a peace that passes understanding. My prayer is also for those who feel that their brokenness is too deep for this life to bear. I pray that they don't see death as a freedom from their pain, but that they see a life that gave so much joy. I pray that they find help, and in that...hope. I pray that stories like this won't just leave us standing only to remember the life that was lost but to look for and help those who are slipping.
There is no easy way to do this, but no one ever said that the hard way was ineffective. May we continue to press down that hard way, carrying those who don't have the strength to continue.
It's what the genie would've wished for.
