In 1974, photographer Daniel Sorine photographed a couple of mimes performing in Central Park. 35 years later, when he revisited the photos, he realized he had captured a then-unknown Robin Williams.

40 years later, after a brilliant career as an actor and comedian, Robin Williams took his own life.

I am amazed about the public grief that Robin Williams’ death has brought forth. It’s comparable only to what happened when Lennon died that dark night in December 1980.

The Good Will Hunting Bench in Boston has become a memorial:

Robin Williams seems to have only had admirers and friends. Except, perhaps, Rush Limbaugh.

Rush Limbaugh has never been high in my esteem, but now he just slid down to what I would call rock-bottom. He actually suggested,  according to this article in the Huffington Post, the Robin Williams my have killed himself because of his leftist attitude:

The leftist attitude is “one of pessimism and darkness, sadness — they’re never happy, are they?” Limbaugh said on Tuesday’s broadcast of his radio show. “They’re always angry about something. No matter what they get, they’re always angry.”

Limbaugh cited a Fox News story that said Williams killed himself because he was embarrassed to take TV roles and parts in movie sequels, but had to do it because of financial troubles.

“He had it all but he had nothing. Made everybody else laugh but was miserable inside,” Limbaugh said. “I mean, it fits a certain picture or a certain image that the left has. Talk about low expectations and general unhappiness and so forth.”

This drivel is absurd. Any person with an ideological bent away from Limbaugh’s should be deeply insulted.

Not only are these ramblings idiotic, they insinuate that he knows what Robin Williams’ problems were. They actually degrade him.

Robin Williams had a brilliant career. He left four completed movies that are scheduled to come out within the next year. Yet, something caused him to make a decision to end it all on August 11, 2014. The pain that none of us knew was there must have been so strong, so intense, that he saw no other way but to leave the world. Depression is a terrible disease.

I cannot judge him for his decisions and actions. He had a right to do what he did. He is now done. It’s the rest of us that have to come to grips with this fact.

I got to get up this morning and saw a spectacular sunrise lifting over the hazy sky of Atlanta. I enjoyed a wonderful drive from Atlanta to Tallahassee, through the endless waves of green cotton fields of southern Georgia. As I drove mile after mile and absorbed the glory of life, I kept thinking about Robin Williams, and how he made a choice to no longer participate.

And I grieved.