Not I

Everyone is bemoaning the suicide of Anthony Bourdain.  Not I.  Frankly, I deem killing yourself -- especially if you have young children -- the supreme act of selfishness and cowardice.  It was also irresponsible and not in keeping with proper behaviour in  a civil society.  The mature act it to endure, not kill ourselves.  He had an 11-year-old daughter, who will be forever scarred, thinking it was her fault, that she somehow should have helped save daddy.

Robin Williams did the same thing and left children, so did Kate Spade.  Even though the latter left a suicide note telling her daughter it wasn't her fault, the daughter will never believe it.  In Bourdain's case, just heard an interview from CBC 2010, in which he claimed to have been at the lowest point and was on the verge when a song came on the radio and he snapped out of it.  If a song can turn you around, hey, play it all the time!  Frankly, he should have done it then, when his daughter would only have been three.  At least she would not have the memories she now must carry around.  I wonder what made him snap?  A soufflé that crashed?  (Sorry, but you get my drift.)

eople who commit suicide are obviously thinking only of themselves, not of the people they will leave grieving for the rest of their lives.  I know, I know, people will claim I have no idea what it's like to be depressed, but I have had my share of dark and difficult moments.  Divorce, no child support, a re-marriage and two additional children with an impossible mother hanging around, job loss, alcoholism and drug abuse in my family and a brother who committed suicide at 32.  My brother was self-absorbed, but at least had no children.  He only left our bereaved parents and me, but no one else to haunt.  I was actually relieved he did it because he would no longer be tormenting my mother. 

Read somewhere that people who take their own lives don't want to die, they just don't want to feel they way they do.  Why don't they get help?  Too proud?  Too famous?  It's all so boring.