"The Man Behind Closed Doors"

Bewilderment is the word that comes to mind, when I heard the news of Robin William's death.

To the world, he will always be remembered by his uncanny ability to morph in and out of persona's, in such a fantastical way that all we could do was laugh at his antics, while our minds rushed to keep up....
Behind those piercing blue eyes lay one of the worlds most brilliant comedic minds of all of time.

There was a gentleness and warmth within his eyes, that swept you into comforting and freeing laughter.

It has been noted repeatedly that he battled severe depression. He likewise, battled substance abuse in various forms.
Ultimately, in one final desperate moment, irrationality set in, and he left this earth.

The world mourns his passing, but more importantly his family mourns the loss of a dad, a husband and brother.

While the masses remember him for his heightened, comedic timing.
His family will remember the man behind the closed doors..funny, endearing, angry and hopeful...and very ill.
He was acutely sensitive, to the rushing thoughts that he mastered into performance after performance with little downtime.

It is my prayer that the God of all comfort will indeed comfort those who mourn. I pray God alone will settle into the hearts and minds of those who try to wrap reason around the unreasonable. There is never any rationale that explains the final act of a desperate person.

But even without the rationale, there is hope.
There is a silver lined hope that the magnitude of Mr. Williams' loss will swing open the door of mental illness far and wide.

I liked what Jimmy Kimmel had said, in his immediate reaction in a tweet.

"Robin was as sweet a man as he was funny, If you're sad, please tell someone"

Severe depression is deeper than a sadness.
And yet, we must begin somewhere to unravel the downward spiral that twists its way, insidiously into a deadly dagger, cloaked in a veil of freedom.
Like many, Robin McLaurin Williams, would never have knowingly chosen the path, that led to his demise.

If anything good can come from his mental illness and this family's pain, let it come in this moment.

Put down your phone, tablets and remotes, look deeply into another's eyes and remind them
that you and they,
will walk whatever road they are on....TOGETHER..
They are not alone.

Nor are you.
If you need help. Seek help.
If you are afraid, reach out.

You are never alone..

While it is true, that behind those piercing blue eyes lay one of the worlds most brilliant comedic minds of all of time.
It is equally as true, that mental illness plays no favorites.

Your heavenly Father is "willing" to hold you secure when you find yourself behind closed doors.
Will you let him?
He is not willing to leave you there.

Allow His purest silver line of hope be the light that shines behind the laughter and the tears...

Psalm 121:1,2
"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth"

Application: If something doesn't feel quite right. It probably isn't. Reach out to get help. Or reach to another to offer.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please call  1-800-273-TALK (8255).