A man who considered it his duty to instil happiness into other people more than into himself, Robin Williams, a person of great inspiration to me, has tragically passed away.
His talent was innumerable, not only in the sense of portraying characters varying from a pilot, a nanny, a teacher and a president, but also in achieving a unique balance of displaying both comedy and a deeper meaning in his films.
While watching Mrs Doubtfire as young child, to take one example, I could not help bursting into laughter whenever I heard that Scottish voice. While watching the same film again only a few months ago, as an adult, I slowly began to appreciate the importance of spending time with one's family, no matter how great the barriers may be.
The Dead Poets Society is another film that has profoundly influenced me (and I'm sure many others) to spread ideas and to dare to achieve the extraordinary. In an era when tradition and convention defined the parameters on which teaching would operate, Mr Keating made it his duty to break down such a narrow-minded approach to education, and instead widen the perspective of his students through exposure to poetry, a literature that provides limitless opportunities for expression and appreciation for each one, irrespective of its conformity to the status quo.
We need more teachers like Mr Keating. We need such people to help encourage young students to pursue the arts and the creative life, so that we produce fewer lawyers, bankers, and business people, and more philosophers, artists, musicians, and writers. I feel that Robin Williams, perhaps indirectly through the DPS, sincerely believed in producing the next Dickens, Emerson, and Nietzsche.
On a somewhat different note, the probable cause of his death is slightly distressing, but it projects an important message to us all: that anyone, no matter how successful, ebullient, or popular, can suffer from depression. What's worse is the fact that an outsider can hardly decipher between a person who is depressed and one who is not. How can we solve this grave problem?
One solution is simple. Be kind, always. By offering kindness to those around us on an unconditional basis, we not only prevent depression from happening, but we also give hope to those suffering from depression. Let me abundantly clear and admit that I have, god bless, never suffered from severe depression. That said, my experiences have shown that, if one can act as a source of life, energy, and purpose through kindness and love, one can also spread all that energy onto other people, some of whom might be suffering from depression.
So go forth with kindness and love, treating every person in this spirit, and the dark days may well pass us by. Rest in peace Robin Williams.
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