Good Night Captain

He made me laugh the first time I saw him.  And thereafter if he didn't make me laugh his characters moved me to tears.  His film, stage and television career is legendary.  To be honest I loved him best when he made talk show appearances and completely disarmed the most stoic of hosts with his uncanny ability to morph into any character at any moment.  He did it to Carson, Leno, Letterman, and countless news anchors.  His appearance always meant non-stop chaos and belly laughs.  You never knew what was coming next, but you knew it was going to be good.  
Among my favorite of his films:
Dead Poets Society
Good Morning Vietnam
Birdcage
Patch Adams
Good Will Hunting
Hook
Mrs. Doubtfire  

He played characters with incredible pathos.  He was at his best when he was allowed to ad lib and improv his characters.  Countless voices and characters could be strung together in one endless, serendipitous monologue that seemed like a giant stream of consciousness formed with great deliberation and intent.  And underneath it all was a solid and seasoned actor.  

He was transparent not only on stage, but also in life.  He openly shared about his struggles with alcohol and most recently his heart surgery experience.  Upon news of his apparent suicide his publicist says he was battling serious depression. When I heard the news I tweeted and asked, "Who wipes the tears of the clowns?"  It's as if he was haunted by joy, being able to bring it to so many, but unable to experience it himself.  And that is tragic and profoundly sad.

It's 2014 and there is still a huge stigma attached to mental illness.  It's time to stop it!  It reminds us that the human heart, mind and soul are indeed fragile.  And there but for the grace of God go any of us.  Mental illness is a brain disease and no one should feel ashamed, or beyond hope for a medical condition!   We have got to start having conversations that detach the stigma of mental illness so people can learn about it and get the help they need.  Applause to the attention Rick and Kay Warren have given to this devastating disease following the suicide of their son, Matthew.  

At some point all of us are touched by a family member, friend, co-worker, or someone we know battling mental illness.  It's time we cast light on this darkness so our friends and family members don't try and hide it, but cry out to us when the darkness hits.  When they cry out we run to them and hold them so tight they can't be overtaken by the immediate crisis and we can emerge together seeking the long haul help they so desperately need from committed medical and mental health professionals.  If you ever get that call, or just have a hunch about someone you know, or love, don't dismiss it, or wait.  Act and act with all speed, compassion and grace.  Don't take "no," for an answer!

In one of his early film roles (Dead Poets Society),  Robin Williams played an English teacher (John Keating) at a private school whose unconventional and creative methods opened the door of learning for his students.  In the movie he asks the boys to call him "Captain" if they dare in reference to Walt Whitman's classic poetic tribute to Abraham Lincoln in "Oh Captain!  My Captain!"  It closing lines:

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;

My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;

The ship is anchor'd safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;

From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;

Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!

But I, with mournful tread,

Walk the deck my captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead.

RIP  Robin Williams.  I pray that the thousands of homeless you helped through your platform in life will be small compared to those who will get help for mental illness as the result of your tragic death.  May it move them from the darkness, Captain.