Yesterday I had a musical video montage on in the background while I did some busy work both on and off the computer. I found a playlist that contained Michael Jackson videos. I love his music — I love his movements. And it was perfect pick-me-up music.
As I worked I kept peeking at the videos, and found myself watching one called Smooth Criminal from his album Bad (1987). As I watched his phenomenal performance, his singing and dancing and marvelous moves, I wondered …
What happened?
I have no idea what led up to that fateful day where Michael Jackson died of cardiac arrest due to too many drugs in his system.
None of us do.
But I always wonder when someone of great talent ends their own life …
Why?
Michael Jackson was a superstar. He was a teacher, influencer, father. He could be anything he wanted to be. Do anything he wanted to do. Help the poor, influence younger artists, play with his kids.
And yet he chose not to do so.
There are other celebrity deaths that dance in that same haunted circle.
Ernest Hemingway
Robin Williams
Prince
Whitney Houston
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Anthony Bourdain
The list goes on. Artists from all fields of art. Creative, real people who loved what they were doing. People who had, one way or another, contributed to the Artistic Culture of the World.
We don’t know what led them to take one too many pills. What led them to walk into the woods and shoot themselves. What led them to hang themselves.
I don’t mean to be a downer about all of this — but suicide is a downer.
Translate that to someone you know. Someone you’ve heard of. Young kids. Old people. Successful business people. Housewives. College kids. People commit suicide every day. Their pain, their trials, their confusion, become too much to handle. To understand. There seems to be no way out.
I don’t even pretend to understand what’s in the head of those who choose to leave this world. With most of us fighting to stay here one more day, to give up even one more hour than necessary is something I will never understand.
Perhaps it’s something that’s not meant to be understood by everyone.
But it’s meant to be addressed.
If you, or anyone you know, is inordinately depressed, lost, or in trouble, cross the personal boundaries and call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Or text HOME to 741741 for free.
If you yourself are feeling overwhelmed, help is just a phone call or text away.
Don’t waste your wonderful artistic talent. Don’t let go.
Don’t leave the rest of us not understanding.
Humoring the Goddess 
Thank you. It is a serious problem. I don’t know if I’d even be able to note the hints and take action. But I hope I could.
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Suicide is a real and growing problem, and it’s not talked about openly enough, thank you for bringing it to light!
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A subject that is difficult to talk about, but needed. So thank you. My heart breaks over the loss of such talent and also for those unknown souls who could not see a way out of the darkness. 💔
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I often wonder about that too, why oh why do they do that. It looks as if they have everything they can ever want, good looks, youth, money, succes……But the mind is still a mystery.
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