In mourning for Gene

Today we learned of the loss of Gene Wilder.  He died at 83 years of age.  To see the headlines was a punch to the stomach….

Another great is gone…..

I read his story and I found he suffered from Alzheimer’s.  What a horrible way to go….  To know his family suffered with this diagnosis changed my perspective from sorry, to thankfulness that his and his families suffering has passed.

…….But what he left behind…….

When we lose people it’s like a piece of our soul is ripped out.  A gaping hole that feels empty and pained….  The size of the hole will vary per person…

But when someone like Gene Wilder dies…. It’s not just a part of our soul…it’s a part of who we are as people.  It’s our childhood.  Our fondest memories that reach to all ends of the earth.

We measure our lives by what we leave behind.  If someone mourns our loss, then we have made a mark.  If many mourn our loss, we have left an impression.  When millions mourn our loss, we have made a huge difference in the world by who we were and what we did.

Gene Wilder made a difference.  He saw things in a unique light that impacted many.  In Willy Wonka he demanded to have the opening scene with him hobbling in on a cane, only for the cane to be stuck…and for him to somersault out of the fall into a wonderful recovery so that in the movie, one wouldn’t know for sure, if he was telling the truth, or fabricating what he said.

Sheer Brilliance……

He was a humble and kind man and lived a quiet life.  There wasn’t much presence in the tabloids with him….

And that makes me love him more.

He learned to make his mother laugh when she was sick.  And from then on, it was his destiny in life.  And he did very well…

I loved seeing him in movies, but moreover, I enjoyed sharing his work with our kids.

What kid doesn’t enjoy Willy Wonka?   What adult, for that matter?  It’s literally a coming of age movie for all to enjoy.  The Snozzberries taste like SNOZZBERRIES for goodness sake!

I had to tell my daughters that Gene Wilder passed today… I underestimated their reaction.

As I looked on Snapchat, I saw there was a Willy Wonka filter…. I know this because my daughter sent out a snap with that filter saying it’s a sad day.  She later told me she cried.

It’s an end of an era….

We all feel it.

You cannot replace greatness.  The greatness of yesteryear is being replaced by the ‘greatness’ (so called) of today…

There’s no going back and it’s heartbreaking.

The last time I wrote like this was for Robin Williams.  My heart still hurts to say his name.

But instead of dwelling on what WE lost…. I think they would rather us look back fondly, on what they left us.

They poured their heart and soul into their work to make others laugh. Mission Accomplished!

I doubt they would be proud to stand on the other side and see nothing but tears.

As much as it hurts my heart, I will stand in honor of this wonderful man and all who stood before him to bring us laughter in their own crazy way.  To make us forget, if only for a moment, the sorrows of our lives.

I will honor their legacy and share their work with my kids so they will not be forgotten

I’m glad that their loss impacted my kids.  I could only be so lucky to have so many people mourn my loss.

Let’s all strive to make such a difference in our lives that others will honor us with tears, and love and hopefully, laughter!!!

Thank you Gene for all you did!  You made a difference in this life and I’m proud to share you with my family!

Say HI to Gilda for us!!!