It's tragic when anyone dies.
There is horrible tragedies all over the world yes.
When the world mourns the death of an artist/icon/ this doesn't make the deaths of all those police officers last year, or all the soldiers fighting last month, or all those
fill in the blanks less tragic.
But - there is a reason so many people communally mourn an artist. They did something to us. They touched our souls. They have inspired us. They have helped us through heartbreak. They were there for our divorce. They were there when we fell in love. They were there during the dark times and the light. They were there through years of puberty trying to figure out who the hell we are.
Actors have taken us to new places. Shown us what it's like to get lost in a character. In a performance. They have played roles we want to live or have lived. We don't know these people personally, but yet in a way we do.
This is not to say one life is more meaningful than another. This is to say these artists have connected with us in a way that I hope I can do myself through my art and through my life. There's a reason some are called icons. Actors, writers, poets, musicians, painters, etc. They lay their soul out for us to see. To love. To connect with.
Music is so special because you can feel it in your bones, feel it snaking through your soul, reaching into your heartstrings and taking hold. An actor can take you to an imaginary world. You can relate. You can dream.
Performances can hit you at certain times in your life and you never forget it. These people are given a gift they can share with us and they do. This is why we mourn the deaths of artists (famous or not really) as a communal grieving process. We can reach out now through social media and give virtual hugs, share memories, share stories, share experiences and share love and comfort. We hurt together. It's truly fucking beautiful.
There are a lot of brilliant artists we have lost over the years. But there are certain ones that really touched me more than others. I do believe they hit harder as we get older and understand life maybe a little bit more. Treasure it so much more. I want to list so many but for now below are the ones that I remember when they left us. I remember the shock. The hole in my heart. The sadness. I thank them for moving me in some way, touching my heart, my soul, making me laugh, cry, dream and strive. For inspiring me.
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| Alan Rickman |
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| Maya Angelou |
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| Adam Yauch |
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| Prince |
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| BB King |
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| Robin Williams |
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| Kurt Cobain |
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| John Candy |
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| John Ritter |
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| David Bowie |
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| Philip Seymour Hoffman |
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| River Phoenix |
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| Heath Ledger |
