Waking up to a dull and gloomy grey Sunday morning, the news of one of my favorite actors gone away from the world struck me very hard. He was an all-rounder. He was an avid reader, interested in astronomy, a health freak. Coming from a small town, he had carved a niche in Bollywood, which was dominated by the Khans. He started with the famous television serial, became a huge hit, and then entered Bollywood. He chose movies carefully, not getting into a stereotype role. I had watched a few of his films and had a lot of regard as a fan. He had let the viewers a sneak peek in his home for a program done by Asian Paints. The house was so tastefully done and looked so cozy and comfortable! Every corner of his house showed his genuine interest in small things and showed his eye for beauty. The outside world had no idea of what was raging in his head. No one was really aware of the tough times he was really going through! Similarly, I was lost for a day or two when Robin Williams, the greatest Hollywood actor, committed suicide! I couldn't come to terms that a person like him would take such a drastic step in ending his life, who was loved by millions of people!
A person always has two lives, I think. One which he shows on his face and the other that he really feels and lives! When we see other people smiling and happy, we assume that they are leading a happy life, with no problems whatsoever. But who doesn't have troubles and difficulties? Everyone has challenges in life, big and small. But the way we deal with it is significant. Some people have an inner strength to go through the various challenges life throws at them with great success. Take our grandparent's generation. They have lived the most adverse life, but none of the people I knew had committed suicide. Is the new generation getting weaker and weaker? Are they not able to hear a no? Or are they succumbing quickly to pressures? There might be some people who can't express the fear and anxiety they have inside them and get engulfed in their own shells. They need to come out and seek help. It is crucial to accept in the first place that they need help. Many of us shrug away the very mention of the word "depression." It is still considered a taboo in our society, and many women I know have problems, but they are not ready to accept and seek help. They are trapped in their houses, just doing household chores, taking only that as their identity. Talking and sharing helps to a large extent. Even medications help depressed people to get back to the track. Important is that they should have self-belief and a little patience. The family members should understand and support the individual too.
In a fast-paced life like today, man is getting lonelier and lonelier. He is connected to all the screens that he possibly has in his house. But the connection with the inner self is lost. It is essential to be connected to oneself. Inner peace is hard to achieve nowadays in the hustle-bustle of life, and one is confused as to what one really wants! It's very essential to have good company, good genuine relationships with friends and family. It does require an effort to invest in human relations, and at the end of the day, living people are the ones who really help us come out of the deep abyss in case we need help. The technology pushes us too far, I believe, and the human touch will only and always rescue us!
This is a wake-up call to all of us! Talk to your friends, family members, relatives. Make them feel loved and welcome. We never know what actually they all are going through. Let us help each other in completely eradicating this dreadful disorder called Depression. Let's keep in touch with the human side in us, and let's stay in touch with one another!
