REMEMBERING CHRIS CORNELL AND THE REALITY OF DARKNESS
- Edward Vincent
- May 23, 2017
- 2 min read
Last Thursday, May 18th, the world lost an incredible voice and remarkable talent in Chris Cornell. His music in Soundgarden, Supergroup, Audioslave, and Temple of the Dog touched so many lives including my own. Even the man in black, the late Johnny Cash recorded his own cover of Soundgarden’s hit “Rusty Cage”. It takes a special soul to have that impact on the world. Another rock star gone before we were ready to lose them to be sure, but more so; another highly influential, beautiful soul to be lost to the beast of suicide. As I write this my thoughts reminisce of Robin Williams. Yet another devastating loss to the world, who decided to take their own life.
In YouTube videos of Soundgarden’s final performance you see dear Chris in a great form and hardly a thing missing from their stellar show. However, to this author, when I watched their final performance of “Black hole sun”, it seemed off ever so slightly. Rushed. Sad. A precursor of things to come? I couldn’t tell you, and frankly I find it inappropriate to try to make that call.
What I do know is this: Depression is not a joke, Depression is not a trend or something to fake. It is a chemical imbalance in the brain, not a choice someone would make to get attention. I speak from personal experience having been diagnosed myself since I was 13. It can be manageable and medicated, but it is unpredictable. It doesn’t matter how successful or how influential you are, how much money you have or anything else during an attack. It feels inescapable and totally hopeless. The darkest feeling you could possibly imagine. Sometimes everything can be going right and nothing could have triggered you, but for some reason the only thing you can think is how much better the world would be if you no longer existed, in that moment the option of feeling nothing ever again and ending your own life sounds so much better than living in agony for a moment longer. Sometimes all it takes is one bad day.
Nobody can predict these things but if you know anyone suffering from depression, anxiety, mania, paranoia, or any other mental illness, please be supportive and patient. Understand its not your fault we are like this and all we need is a kind word now and again, those who truly suffer may never come forward to admit it or show any signs. Sometimes those who feel the worst fake the best smile. If you see one of your friends withdraw, if you see them alone, if you see them with the weight of the world in their eyes, go to them. You could save a life.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts please call the National Suicide Hotline, 1800-273- 8255.
We love you Chris. July 20, 1964 – May 18, 2017
Yorumlar