What You See Is Not All There Is
There's a lot more going on in your heart and mind than what others see, right?
It was certainly that way for Robin Williams.
I remember the first time I experienced his comic genius. It was in the early days of Mork and Mindy and what made us laugh the hardest were his off-the-cuff shenanigans of this new young comedian that was improvising on the set. He was hilarious. He loved to make people laugh and even in his Academy Award winning serious dramas, seemed to have a perpetual smile on his face.
But what we saw was not all there was.
Life was hard for Robin Williams. He battled emptiness and depression. He attempted to escape the reality of his life with substance abuse. And he saw first-hand the end result of such an attempt. He participated in the last line of cocaine that John Belushi snorted the night he died. Even during his twenty years of sobriety, William's closest friends described him as a man that was driven by demons. Personal and family turmoil surrounded his life. The man who made everyone else laugh was perpetually depressed. A few months ago he readmitted himself into a twelve step program.
But that isn't what we saw. We saw a star. We saw a man surrounded by wealth, cheering and admiring crowds, what appeared to be a close family, and a happy smile.
But there was a lot more within.
It's a familiar and very sad story. How many superstars, athletes, rich and famous, must die unhappy and untimely deaths for us to realize that fulfillment and joy cannot be bought or earned with success or applause. Fulfillment comes by way of fulfilling one's purpose. And that purpose is found in the reason we were created...for God's enjoyment brought about through a reciprocal loving relationship with him.
I wonder how many people we will pass today and totally misread the emptiness in their spirit because of the mask of laughter and the pretentious smiles on their faces. What you see is not all there is. It's not only that way with the rich and famous. Everyone alive is in desperate need of what really fills a life. We all are in desperate need of the God who fulfills.
What do others see in you and what are we missing?