I woke up at ‘daft o clock’ this morning. I find it hard to get a full night’s sleep, often waking numerous times during the early hours. What I tend to do is scroll through my twitter / IG account until my eyes get tired and I drop off again.

At first I thought I was reading it incorrectly; it was sleepy time after all and I wasn’t that alert. Further investigation confirmed Robin Williams had been found dead at his home. I poked Darren to tell him. He wasn’t best pleased. Like I said I was sleepy, shocked and obviously not thinking rationally.

It’s not very often that I let Hollywood life affect me… I mean its Hollywood and I’m sat here in Sunny Sheffield. A life time and a life style away. But I’m sad. Saddened that another great actor is no more, sad for his family. Sad we’ll never get to see him again.

I grew up with Mr Williams. He was the alien Mork with his stripy jumper, lovely thick hair and funny ways. I have many fond memories of family tea- time’s sat watching his and Mindys antics. Trying to do that finger thing he did, while chanting ‘na nu na nu’ at each other….

He seemed to be a genuine family guy. I had a little soft spot for him, with those twinkling kind eyes. He was slightly off centre. Slightly off centre is good in my books. Who wants normality? He was an amazing actor and a big personality. He made me laugh and he made me cry.

BUT it appears he had his own demons and in the end those demons won. I don’t claim to know anything about severe depression only that to take your own life it must be pretty horrendous. Perhaps we all need to sit down and educate ourselves, become a little more understanding?

One of my favourite films is Dead Poets Society. To quote his character John Keating

‘We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman, “O me! O life!… of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless… of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?” Answer. That you are here – that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play *goes on* and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?’

I think your verse was just beautiful Mr Williams … if far, far, far too short.
RIP you will be sadly missed.

Na nu na nu…

Tracey

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