Thoughtful Quote of the Week: Robin Williams

"You treat a disease, you win, you lose. You treat a person, I guarantee you, you'll win, no matter what the outcome."

Robin Williams - Patch Adams

The loss of a creative and entertainment genius like Robin Williams was enough of bad news for one day, but to find out he suffered from depression and was battling addiction again truly was a message that something must be said and done about the epidemic of people suffering from mental disease going untreated in this country. I'm not an activist, doctor, or politician and I don't expect anything from this blog except to share my thoughts and express my desire to help. 

We all know about depression and addiction and the many stories of people taking their lives or accidentally overdosing because they were so addicted they couldn't stop. It's not a problem that strictly affects creatives or famous people. It effects many common Joes like me too. I am fortunate that I have no addiction problems (except maybe sugar), but I know people who have battled addiction or are battling addiction and I know how difficult it could be. Whether it is cigarettes or cocaine, a person should not be so dependent on a drug that it lowers their capacity to live so much that they don't want to live anymore. This country is not about that and as a community, we should do all we can to prevent that for our kids, friends, and families. Let's treat the person. 

I'm fortunate to have a stable of willing friends and family to listen when I'm mad or upset and to be a supportive bench to sit on when I need. We all need the support of someone. I'm more than happy to listen to anyone and if you are a Facebook friend or Twitter follower and feel the need to talk to someone, don't be afraid to send me a private note. I am not a professional or expert in any of these fields, so I would likely recommend professional help if it is needed. The stigma surrounding mental health and depression sickens me. These people are just like everyone else, yet they are embarrassed or scared to let others know of a condition or feeling. I've felt depressed before, I'm not ashamed of that. 

I'm aware there are many causes for depression and suicide, but it bewilders me that some of those causes could be controlled if people were less of assholes. Maybe this is harsh, but if we stopped bullying, hating, spouting discriminatory words, and abusing this world would have a happier population. 

Why do we hate each other so much? What separates two kids in high school or middle school so much that one believes they are superior to the other and therefore they have the right to belittle that person to something smaller than a nickel? Am I guilty of some of these behaviors? Sure. We all are in some way. Dislike and hatred runs in all of our blood for some reason. Do I intend to be that way? No. Just like everyone else, I'm a work in progress, but I've made a conscious effort to try and erase this behavior one at a time. I've let go of the past and often times, it feels good. My family has had a lot of conflict in the past and I'm proud of the point I am at, where I have a relationship with most everyone in my immediate circle now. Is it perfect? No. Just because you don't like someone, doesn't give you the right to make them out to be any less of a person than yourself. 



One of my all time favorite songs is Heal the World by Michael Jackson. 

                                                                  "Heal The World"

There's A Place In
Your Heart
And I Know That It Is Love
And This Place Could
Be Much
Brighter Than Tomorrow
And If You Really Try
You'll Find There's No Need
To Cry
In This Place You'll Feel
There's No Hurt Or Sorrow

There Are Ways
To Get There
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Little Space
Make A Better Place...

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

If You Want To Know Why
There's A Love That
Cannot Lie
Love Is Strong
It Only Cares For
Joyful Giving
If We Try
We Shall See
In This Bliss
We Cannot Feel
Fear Or Dread
We Stop Existing And
Start Living

Then It Feels That Always
Love's Enough For
Us Growing
So Make A Better World
Make A Better World...

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

And The Dream We Were
Conceived In
Will Reveal A Joyful Face
And The World We
Once Believed In
Will Shine Again In Grace
Then Why Do We Keep
Strangling Life
Wound This Earth
Crucify Its Soul
Though It's Plain To See
This World Is Heavenly
Be God's Glow

We Could Fly So High
Let Our Spirits Never Die
In My Heart
I Feel You Are All
My Brothers
Create A World With
No Fear
Together We'll Cry
Happy Tears
See The Nations Turn
Their Swords
Into Plowshares

We Could Really Get There
If You Cared Enough
For The Living
Make A Little Space
To Make A Better Place...

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

You And For Me

Heal the world we live in, save it for our children

I ask all my friends, family, readers, and acquaintances to consider the words "Heal the world, make it a better place, for you and for me and the entire human race." The message is simple. 

Thank you Robin Williams for all the laughter and entertainment. I was a huge fan and will be watching all of your work from Aladdin to Good Will Hunting to Hook to get a few laughs this week. For those who read this and want to share the thoughts, please feel free to message me or comment. These thoughts are strictly my own and there is no intention to offend or disquiet anyone. I feel passionately about helping others and hope you do too.