Robin Williams, Lauren Bacall Tribute

This week has been a very sad week

in Hollywood and in our own backyard.  As we all have been in mourning of the death of legend and creative genius Robin Williams, the next day came news of the death of Femme Fatale and Old Hollywood fashion glamazon Lauren Bacall. Lastly, as they say such things come in three’s – Revel, the Atlantic City hotel will shut its doors September 1^st and that is the hotel that my fiance proposed to me in over a year ago.

For a 2-year-old hotel, it held so many memories to my friends and me.  Summer trips, bachelorette parties and the most magical night on our engagement and engagement photoshoot, all gone into the history books.  For such a beautiful, modern new hotel full of hope and promise to renew the old grandeur of Atlantic City and bring a younger demographic in, I can’t believe it’s closing after just 2 years. I had visions of telling my future children about our engagement and that vision included being able to visit that hotel and create more memories there.

Just like the closing of a hotel with so many guests buzzing in and out of the amenities and so much potential left; the death of a Hollywood funny man and huge talent has pulled hard on our heart strings. Even though most of us have not even had the opportunity to meet him, Robin Williams was part of our family. He was part of all of our childhoods growing up and left us with a sense of magic and hope, a tenderness that told us of what the real world would bring yet an anticipation of a happy ending.

From dealing with such issues as divorce, the point of view of a father trying to see his children after the separation in Mrs. Doubtfire (from which I can personally relate to) to showing us a magical “Whole new world” in Aladdin, captivating us on the edge of our seats as the all powerful Genie of the Lamp, and making our hearts and imaginations flutter.  From electrifying one-liners in interviews and award ceremonies to teaching us about growing up in movies like “Good Will Hunting”, “Patch Adams”, “Dead Poets Society” and many more cultural phenomenons like “Hook”, “Jumanji”, “What Dreams may Come” and “The Birdcage.”  The list goes on.

It’s sad when the world looses such a tremendous talent, and especially when we learn that there was an immense sadness going on behind the eyes of a man who spent much of his entire life making us laugh.  Suicide is never an easy topic of discussion and as painful as it is for the world to comprehend, my empathies go out to his family and close friends because I can only imagine how they are feeling.
I kind of have been captivated this week by reading all the blogs and articles about Mr. Williams, his life, his legacy and the effect he has left on the world.  Here are some great ones.

The New Yorker: The Genius of Robin Williams in “Aladdin”
MTV News: The Genie, Robin William’s Most Important Roll.
Huffington Post: The Moment’s We Fell In Love with Robin Williams

And the are so many more, as well as instagram and twitter posts sharing so many memories, and of course the biggest tear jerker of all, saying “Genie, your free.”

We were so captivated by his character as the Genie because of the vulnerability, the honesty and the tenderness with which he told the story of being yourself, and escaping to freedom from feeling trapped.

Here is another one, and something that really stuck with me when you think about suicide and depression :
The Daily Love: Goodbye Genie, You’re Free

Quoting from this last article from the Daily Love: “So, we know that depression has something to do with the brain. I believe it also has something to do with the spirit. My therapist told me many years ago that re-pression (of feelings and actions) tends to lead to de-pression.” – Mastin Kipp

If that is so than you must show an ex-pression of your love, your gifts, your pain, your sadness, your joy and all of your feelings. This is all necessary to live a life fulfilled, in order to leave an im-pression on the world around you.

Mastin goes on to say “It means that our spirits are meant to be free. They are meant to create, to Love and be Loved. When that process halts itself because of repression, we can get depressed. We are meant to be free. When a series of events happens in life that prevents that freedom, naturally we lean towards depression. Because there’s a part of us that knows that we aren’t living our purpose.”

Part of being human is feeling sad, the ups, the downs and even being depressed sometimes, but you need to reach out and express it in a healthy way, in whatever way possible you can.  I have felt depression many times in my life and I’m sure you have too. To cry, to write a letter telling someone how you feel, to create, to walk, to FEEL the feelings as opposed to repress the feelings and to know that the sad is still part of LIVING – IS living.

I always used to say, “Life is like a heartbeat, incredible highs and incredible lows, but when the line stays neutral… you’re dead.”

If you or anyone you know is suffering from depression, reach out, tell someone how much you love them, share a touch, a talk, and a memory. Pass it on.

Check out the AFSP, Amercian Federation for Suicide Prevention to learn more, help out or seek the help you may need.  There is always a better way, a better day and a better future even if you don’t believe it right now.

Hope that inspires you to live life to the fullest,
xoxo
Emily

Follow me on Instagram @EmilyBrickel and my new account for all things fashion illustration @EmilyBrickelillustration