News of Anthony Bourdain's death by suicide arrived this morning. My heart sank. He has been my idol for years. I devoured his shows and his books. No matter how difficult my day had been, his words filled me with hope. Of course, life above the surface can be very different than life below....
I guess today I am just grateful that he LIVED. The work he did made such a positive impact on my life and countless others. I'm grateful that his disease did not stop him from what he was able to produce. I'm sad to know that he suffered so badly. I'm sad that the world won't benefit from his gifts anymore. I hope that he has found peace in his passing. I hope that his loved ones understand more than we do.
I'm also glad that I saw him a few years ago when he toured. I'm glad that I didn't wait until next time, made an excuse, said it was too far or I didn't have a babysitter. A reminder to seize the day. What if tomorrow doesn't come or it comes in a different package than you planned.
Life is rarely what it seems. Today, like many days, I surrender to the unanswerable.
"Maybe that's enlightenment enough, to know that there is no final resting place of the mind, no moment of smug clarity. Perhaps wisdom is realizing how small I am, and unwise, and how far I have yet to go" - Anthony Bourdain.
My prayers for eternal peace to an amazing teacher and light to so many.
