Of compassion, generosity, unpretentiousness and love

Of compassion, generosity, unpretentiousness and love
August 12, 2014
By: Gina Yoryet Roman


This morning I was awakened by the voice on the radio reporting Robin William’s death. Apparently he had been battling severe depression, according to his publicist. Every time I hear of a celebrity or someone dealing with depression, alcohol or drug problems, I find it very hard for it to sink in. What amazes me the most, is that life can be very burlesque as we are constantly associated with tragedy, sadness, loss and emptiness. On the other hand, we also criss-cross joy, happiness, fulfillment, victory, hope and faith.

The irony of it all is that there isn´t one single soul who doesn´t encounter stumbling blocks amidst the tempest filled with disappointment and often times, we don’t know how to bounce back. Earlier this year, I was asked by a friend who lost her father last year, “is it possible to fill a void after we are smashed by tragedy?” The answer to that, is that we are never the same but as harsh as it may sound, we have to deal with it, grieve, accept, and let go. Like they say, whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger...
Or so, some become more solid, unlike many others. Since this morning that I heard the news, I felt a knot in my throat and had to fight back crying. I instead breathed heavily and prayed that his restless soul finds peace in another life.

Back in 1998, when he starred in Patch Adams, a semi-biographical comedy drama-film, in which he touched the lives of millions of people, his love and care towards humanity was depicted.
Obama stated, "Williams arrived in our lives as an alien - but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit.” “He made us laugh. He made us cry. He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most - from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized on our own streets.”

Unfortunately, he is/was not the only one who has undergone that painful trial. What about those involved in those people’s lives, the closest people to them, their loved ones? Where were are they as their mental health starts declining? It is our sole duty to seek help, pray, have faith and be assured that sooner or later, somewhere along the line, we will be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

After all, isn’t this world about compassion, generosity, unpretentiousness and love?
Ralph Waldo Emerson once aforesaid, “Nature magically suits a man to his fortunes, by making them the fruit of his character...”

God bless his soul and relatives in grief!