This week is starting off pretty somber. The world is in mourning over beloved comedian and actor Robin Williams who took his own life at the age of 63. My mother put it best after hearing the news “it’s like he took my laughter away.” There will definitely be a void in the entertainment world where Williams’ presence once was. From his comedic roles to the the most serious, his fame and success could not ease his personal struggles with substance abuse and depression. As I’ve been watching the reports it seems he fought off his addictions hard and merely won, but it was the stubborn bitch called depression he couldn’t defeat. His death is reviving needed dialogue about the struggles of depression, but I feel like it isn’t going deep enough. Is anyone talking about depression among our most precious generation of elders; the baby boomers who are creeping into their golden years and those already 65 and older? Being a witness to someone who is in their 70s struggle with depression is heart breaking. You see the pain, and hear the subtle cries for help that kind be buried deep down. It’s an era in which you should be able to sit back and bask in the glow of the life you have lived and be the living ancestor giving guidance until it is your time to transition. Yet, many feel useless and voiceless, witnessing others transition before them and family members moving about their lives without much of their help. Of course we don’t know what truly ailed Williams and our selfishness only wishes that he stuck it out a bit longer and continued to make us laugh. Even I feel like going “Damn him!” But just as much as we want to reach out to our loved ones and help them when they are going through something, we can only help them as much as they want to be helped.
In another report about Williams, I heard a clinical psychiatrist say “depression isn’t curable. You can only treat it.” I want to challenge that.
Williams’ death does not overshadow news of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black man in a Missouri suburb that was shot and killed by police. There is an outcry for justice from a community of people that are hurting deeply. The incident is added salt to a wound that has been opened time and time again; senseless killing of a black male. We call to question the value of human life…the value of a black person’s life. A few days ago, people worked their social media to harp on the Associate Press (AP), who tweeted out a tasteless headline in regards to the verdict for the killer of Renisha McBride. As other media outlets reported the verdict, McBride was given the respect she deserves, even in death, by mentioning her by name. The AP never mentioned McBride’s name but later changed their headline from calling her drunk to an unarmed woman.
*sigh*
I’m tired of death and the news. I’m tired of our black children being killed by reactive “trigger happy” people; of authority or not. I’m tired of people suffering in silence and not being able to save them or at least have them look deep within for a deeper strength beyond anything they’ve ever known to help sustain them.
As the rain fell in the D.C. area today I welcomed it. Despite possible flood zones, the rain that fell on the city felt cleansing. As I went about my day I received an email I’ve been expecting. A couple of weeks ago the office staff participated in a “Happy” video put together by the East River Family Strengthening Collaborative. The video was released today and we love it!
I’ll admit, when we received the invite to participate I was all like “Happy” videos are kind of played out. I was good once I saw Howard University had done their video. I didn’t care for all the others after. But honestly, as the song may be annoying to some, I can’t lie it is a real pick me up! I get… well… happy.
So despite the news of the dying, the social injustice occurring and even the rain that brings floods…
I got happy with my Ward 7 peeps. Check it out!
Mahoganie: Musings East of the Anacostia River 
Posted on August 12, 2014
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