Today broke our hearts as we heard the news that one of our favorite funny men apparently took his own life after a battle with depression. We are all saddened by this tragic news.
Suicides and drug overdoses seem to be happening more and more often in Hollywood. This is the 4th I know of in less than a year of people who are still working, on top of their game so to speak. They aren't has beens, they aren't down and out. They are "successful" people. I'm thinking of Cory Monteith, Lee Thompson Young, Philip Seymour Hoffman and now Robin Williams, all within the last year. I don't recall this ever happening this much all at once. It begs the question: Why?!?
I think the obvious one is that money and fame don't bring happiness, but I think we all know that. I began to dig deeper, and this is something that came to mind and I believe it applies to us all. I hope that my words will touch hearts where there is pain and bring a bit of hope.
These celebrities are known world wide and adored by fans, loved even, you might say. But is it really the love that is needed? I am a big fan of movies and stars, but when I say I love one of them, what am I really saying? We love how they look (which they know they can't hold onto forever), or I love this character or that character. We love them for who they pretend to be or for things that are fleeting. This phenomenon applies to us all really. How often have we 'put on a face' or acted how we thought was required just to "fit in" and "be liked" ? I think we all realize at some point that those people don't really like us because that's not us. When I become what you want me to be so that you'll like me..... you don't like me. You like who I pretend to be. We feel more and more lonely and unloved the more we pretend.
Loneliness is a huge issue among us humans. We are surrounded by people and yet we are lonely. Only when we are able to be real with the people in our lives can we really begin to believe we are truly loved. I know that I have felt lonely most of my life. I knew there were two sides to me and I didn't know how to make the real one come out around the people I called friends. I love being around people, and I often am, but I still feel lonely all the time. The people don't really know me. It's not really their fault, I have so many walls around my heart "protecting" me, they can't really find out who I am.
I remember a time many years ago when I contemplated driving my car off a cliff. Not so much to die, but to see if anyone would come visit me in the hospital. That is a sick way to think!! That is not healthy! Thankfully I never did it. How do we know who are friends are? How do we know who really loves us and who has a selfish agenda? If it's hard for us, imagine the multiplication in Hollywood! They have people all around who want to be their friends, but who is real and who just wants to share in the fame and fortune? How can they ever really know? I can see why they may be the loneliest people on the planet. Laughing on the outside, crying on the inside. It makes me so sad to think how empty they must be without knowing if they are truly loved. It makes me sad for all of us who don't know if we are truly loved by anyone.
But there is hope! I met someone 2 yrs ago that broke through those walls and convinced me that I was loved for exactly who I am. She loved me unconditionally at my worst and helped me to see that Jesus loved me too. He wasn't disapproving of me or mad at me for anything I'd done. I've grown a lot these last 2 yrs, the real me has come to the surface much more often. :) The more I hear from Papa God about how He made me and He likes me the way He made me.... the more comfortable and confident I am in who I really am. I am so grateful to have finally been able to see that I have a Creator who loves me for who I am, it makes everything that much easier. If He likes me..... who cares what anyone else thinks? He is my hope. He is my source. He is my Creator, my friend, and my love. He's not some imaginary friend in the sky, He has shown Himself to be so real and so good in my life. In Him I have it all. I still feel lonely a lot, but when I stop and connect with Him, it all fades away and I have joy and life again. Jesus really is the source for Hope and Love. Without Him, we only get a glimpse of what is available. I know that I was blown away when I began to just taste of His goodness and how much love He had for me. I didn't even know it was possible!! No matter what you are facing..... there is always Hope, and His name is Jesus.
