It seems that most of my blog ideas come to mind when I'm at work and unable to write them down (usually because I have an armful of dog food or I'm helping a customer). However, some ideas I don't forget…One topic was weighing heavily on my mind yesterday, and that was the shocking death of Anthony Bourdain. After thinking about his legacy and death all day, I had actually decided against writing about it. I guess I felt the need to keep things light and entertaining on here. So I was going to post my recent photos of colorful flowers…but then, serendipitously, as I searched for the source of a particular quote about flowers and butterflies, I went to WikiQuotes and their quote of the day was one of Bourdain's. It occurred to me that avoiding the subject and not talking about it is exactly what needs to change in the growing mental health crisis.
According to The Washington Post, "In more than half of all [suicide] deaths in 27 states, the people had no known mental health condition when they ended their lives." Far too many people are suffering from some kind of mental health illness or other serious issue that makes them contemplate suicide but it's undiagnosed, unaddressed, and untreated. Many keep quiet about their mental health illness because they feel like no one understands. And that's more than a feeling; most people don't understand it and sometimes the lack of understanding manifests in an uncaring or judgmental way. As someone who's thought about suicide more than once, I firmly believe that no one who has committed suicide actually wanted to die; they just wanted their pain to go away and for their demons to leave them alone. Raising awareness and increasing the general public's understanding of mental health and suicide, I believe, will lead more and more people to treatment. I will try to share more of my personal journey in a later post, but this one is about Anthony Bourdain.
"Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life — and travel — leaves marks on you. Most of the time, those marks — on your body or on your heart — are beautiful. Often, though, they hurt." Anthony Bourdain left a positive mark on so many individuals and changed the way we think about travel and travel documentaries. He revolutionized the industry of travel writing and inspired countless viewers to break out of their comfort zones into parts unknown.
In the same way that Noam Chomsky is different things to different people—e.g. I always thought of him as a linguist until one of my honors history classmates referred to him as a historian—Bourdain also wore many hats. To some he was a chef. To others he was a traveler. To me he was a writer. I watched "No Reservations" not for the food, and not even necessarily for the travel. I watched it because of the way he traveled and how he wrote about it. He made every journey meaningful by being open to new and unfamiliar things and boldly addressing controversial topics. Often I'd sit down to watch an episode and think, "Well I don't want to go there but I want to hear what he has to say about it," and by the end of the episode I wanted to visit some exotic place I had never before considered as a travel destination.
What I love most about his shows is that he didn't travel solely for entertainment; he traveled with purpose, to learn and grow. He delved into foreign cultures seeking insight and understanding of the people and ways of life that were different from his. Travel changes you…if you let it. Life leaves marks on you, for better or worse, whether we like it or not. And like Bourdain said, some of those marks are beautiful, but often they hurt. The important thing is to learn something from them and find meaning in even the most painful scars. My Semicolon tattoo is like a scar: it's a reminder of the darkest state of mind I've ever been in and how I never want to go back there again. Whenever I'm feeling extremely low or I catch myself going to a dark place, the Ewokese words on my arm remind me to "Celebrate the love."
If you suffer from any kind of mental illness, no matter how mild or extreme, or experience thoughts of suicide, don't be ashamed, and don't be afraid to seek help. It's more common than you think, and feeling guilty or ashamed will only make it worse. Groups like Project Semicolon are working laboriously to end the stigmas about mental health and suicide. Take Bourdain's advice and live life with no reservations. Since he was a chef it's easy to assume the title "No Reservations" was referring to booking a table. But since I'm a writer and philosopher, I read more into it than that. Live life without hesitation or doubt. Be bold. Don't be ashamed of who you are. Don't be afraid of what others will think of you. Be yourself, and pursue your dreams with no reservations.
"I'm Anthony Bourdain. I write, I travel, I eat, and I'm hungry for more."
Photo source
Rest in peace, Tony.