Owen Wilson Attempts Suicide
Actor Owen Wilson attempted suicide this past weekend. My heart goes out to him. Depression is a serious condition that affects many people; no one is immune. It doesn’t matter how much money you have, fame, or apparent happiness, depression exists to steal and destroy your life.
One would think that Owen Wilson has it all, however the recent suicide attempt is just another reminder that everything that glitters is not the golden road to happiness. In fact, without finding the peace that comes from a relationship with Jesus Christ, one may never find true happiness.
I was heart broken several months ago, when one of our local meteorologists here in Tampa, Florida took his own life. What was so amazing was the fact that he was a good-looking guy, with an apparently great personality. I had just made the comment to my husband that he looked like he could have been one of the Baldwin brothers and how every morning he made me laugh. Whoever laughs at the morning weather report? Well, many of use here in Tampa, Florida did. Until one day, we heard the news that John Winters had taken his life. With all of his smiles, practical jokes, and good looks, you would think he had the world by a string, but he didn’t. In fact, I now think that his infectious smile and bubbly morning personality was a cover-up for the deep depression that he had been hiding.
Owen Wilson strikes me like that. In fact, one of my favorite things about Owen Wilson is his brilliant smile on camera! Whether acting zany with Jackie Chan or Ben Stiller, he seems to radiate happiness, laughter, and joy. Is it a cover-up for a heart that is desperately broken and loss? One that is hurting and no longer wants to see the light of the next glorious day?
I had a friend once who attempted suicide, he told me, “Charisse, I didn’t want to die, I just wanted to stop the world and jump off.”
Wow, that really blew my mind. Sometimes life gets so crazy, so fast and hurried, that it sweeps us up like a whirlwind and we can’t find our way back to solid ground. Suicide is not the answer. Especially, for someone who hasn’t made peace with God.
You see, you may not be able to stop the world and jump off, but you can slow it down a bit. Through prayer and relationship with Christ, you can slow down what’s taking place on the inside.
I can’t begin to imagine the type of pressure celebrities face. I am a strange type of person. I actually feel compassion for people. I saw Paris Hilton on a clip from the MTV music awards and the host made a comment about her, and the cameras zoomed in on her face. I thought, to myself, “My gosh, that’s worse than being bullied in the sixth grade.” Do people really think it’s worth the trade off? Celebrity status for your soul! I say that to mean, that to gain the world, fame, riches, and fortune you give all of your privacy. What an exchange! I wouldn’t want it. It is obvious that it doesn’t bring happiness. It doesn’t fulfill. And what is worse is that every celebrity’s utter failure is laid exposed for the entire world to see, to mock, to laugh at, and to humiliate.
That’s enough to drive anyone over the edge, isn’t it?
I don’t know what happened to Owen Wilson. My heart goes out to him. Greater than that, my prayer is that he will find the One who gives hope when there is no hope, and joy when there is none. The One who created the soul is big enough to fill it, and satisfy it.
Owen Wilson has a beautiful smile, a wonderful nose, and he is an amazing and talented actor. However, he is only human, like the rest of us. Celebrity status, fame and fortune can never fill what only God can give, the purpose of knowing your destiny, the assurance of knowing that you have a purpose, a plan, and that there is a vision for your life, even when you can’t see it.
