I think I have felt this death so acutely because, to me, it represents the end of innocence and youth. Williams was such a big part of my childhood, with movies like Jumanji, Aladdin, and Mrs. Doubtfire--which was actually super inappropriate for me to watch. I watched it anyway, and I liked it a lot. Oh, and Hook. And Dead Poet's Society. I guess that's quite a list of favorites.
I have memories of watching Hook with my sister and cousins. I wished we could all fly and have magical, invisible food fights and see mermaids with bright green hair. I remember dreaming that Jumanji was really possible--that elephants and pelicans could come out of a board game, and we could skip school to save the town.
Then in high school, I watched Dead Poet's Society. Of course, I loved it; any movie that encourages children and young people to read will always have my heart. It was in this movie that I was introduced to the phrase Carpe diem. Seize the day. This phrase has always challenged me to look past the seemingly mundane and find the extraordinary in everyday life. For my college graduation, my mother bought me shoes that say Carpe diem on them. I still wear those shoes today.
It breaks my heart to realize someone like Robin Williams--someone who brought me so much joy and laughter and fun--was a person who struggled with depression. But I am so grateful for the time he had here and the part he played in my younger days.
O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won
--excerpt from Whitman's "O Captain! My Captain"
