Robin Williams, Death, Life, and Freeing the Genie

I saw this tweet this morning and it absolutely broke my heart.

And as I stood in my kitchen wiping away tears I knew that they were not all for Robin Williams, but that's okay.  When there is loss, we all remember the loss that is most important to us.  And that fact that some of my tears truly were for him, for the loss of this artist who until last night I had no idea meant anything to me, shows how deeply he touched our hearts.

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One day when we were young Boo, Missy and I were having a very important conversation about what we would do if we found a Genie in a bottle.  Boo and I listed our three wishes, which I cannot remember now, and then it was Missy's turn.  She thought hard and then said;

"For my first wish, I would want to never sweat again!"

We laughed but she held up her hand as if to hold off our applause at her perfect wishes until the end.

"For my second wish, I would want everyone who I find attractive to also find ME attractive!"

Classic pre-teen girl idea for a perfect world...we nodded in approval her well thought out wish.

Then she sat back, acting as if she was finished with her wishing.  Like these two wishes would alone make her life perfect.  After a few seconds Boo and I said, "And what about your third wish??" 

"And with my final wish...I would free the Genie of course."

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This morning my mind has been full of thoughts about body and spirit, and being set free from those chains that bind us.  There is a tragedy when life is lost, be it to cancer, or kidney failure or crippling depression.  Rarely do those left behind not look back and wish things went differently.  But somehow, in this single tweet I feel the Academy captured a true peace within the sorrow that surrounds death.  Those we love are set free, and while that is hearbreaking, it is also healing.

I will not pretend to understand depression.  I will say that it breaks my heart that some people feel such despair that they truly believe there are no other options.  I wish things could be different.  I wish our medical system had all the answers and were able heal the broken bodies, minds and spirits that take those we love from us.  But when someone is lost, I think the best we can do is take comfort in the knowledge that they are now free.