A Sea of Doubt

It is with great sadness we hear about the passing of Robin Williams. His is nearly an immeasurable talent. I am old enough to remember his start back in the seventies on the sitcom Happy Days. Now, I don't follow celebrities, but he was one of the few I would stop and take note of when I happened to come across him.

He became much more than just a comedian. He was able to launch himself into a world of television, film and stage with equal success. His dramatic performances were as punctuating as his comedic routines. Few in any field of endeavor are able to perform at such a high level at both ends of the spectrum. Think about your favorite dramatic actor or actress. Could they pull of, regularly, the histrionics of Robin Williams? To do it once is an accomplishment. To do it for a lifetime and improvise at the drop of a hat is something completely different.

We all know he suffered from his demons. However, it is nearly unfathomable for the average Joe, myself included, to understand the depths of emotional trauma he suffered throughout his life. We all ask ourselves, how can a man who has such a gift, a gift freely given to others suffer such pangs in a sea of doubt and depression? When one encounters another in life who is spontaneous, we are instantly drawn to that person. They have the 'it' factor we all dream about at some point in our lives.

But for these people, there always seems to be an underlying 'miss' in their lives. Even the personalities of John Belushi and those of his ilk, suffer from illnesses most of us are simply unable to understand. Our minds can't grasp how one who makes us laugh, only seems to be crying on the inside.

There are others whose stature rises above Robin Williams, though I don't know that there are many that are more beloved for the profound intrusion he made into our lives. It should keep us all on guard. Sometimes the funny man on the outside, is the sad man on the inside.

His voice is now quiet, but his memory shall never be.