No Reservations
I woke to up to the most devastating news this morning and I am struggling to come to terms with it. Anthony Bourdain of the world famous ‘No reservations and Parks Unknown’ killed himself, and in doing so, the world has lost one of its foremost truth tellers, icons and all around great guy.
At a time when I was struggling to find myself as a young man living in a foreign country, no reservations was my go to show to not only bridge my experience with the world but also to shrink the world into a format where it didn’t feel so overwhelming and inspired me to seek more of it.
I have written about Bourdain before, including a random sighting of him on lake shore drive, I was ecstatic to see him and that was the closest I ever came to meeting him. Through his writings and famous show(s), this man came off as a normal guy who just happened to have the best job in the world. He had one of the greatest minds in literature and journalism, and anyone who has ever read his books will tell you of his unrivaled wit.
I cannot begin to imagine what people who know him personally are going through right now. I cannot imagine what his loved ones are feeling. Sadly, knowing how self deprecating he is, if there were some type of farewell letter, he would beat himself up for letting them down.
To be fair, it’s the world that has let him down and continues to let people with a modicum of decency feel like anomalies. I always refer to this quote about empathy and passion in such times, “the world is a cold and harsh place for those who feel too much.”
With stardom, it’s inevitable one not only deals with people with compromised ideals but it’s also widely known that Bourdain at some point in his life dealt with addiction and depression. I have never worked in show business, I just like many have openly yearned about having a job like Bourdain’s but in recent years, especially knowing what I know about the spotlight, I would rather settle for contentment than fame that comes at a cost to your soul.
To those of us without a clue of what fame and success demands, we see the glitz and glamor but never the other side of such. In elevating these people to near deity status, we rob them off their humanity, yet their very human problems remain.
As we yearn for their lives, perhaps it would serve us better if we also understood the pain they dealt with and the problems that come with it.
I never thought I’d be writing this today, interestingly enough the first thing I read, was an admission by a friend who revealed on twitter that his four year old marriage was coming to an end. I have written about said friend as well. Ironically, at the time, I questioned why I wasn’t having any luck romantically, yet this guy who had openly stated that he wouldn’t get married, had found his dream woman. Once again I reiterate, and I wish I took my own damn advice in moments when I feel vulnerable, but the truth is, yearning for what others have, especially when we have no insight into their lives is sure to leave one disappointed. Instead strive to find contentment in your own life. Seek out help when it gets too overwhelming to deal with and strive to be better.
I am walking my own path now, influenced by the likes of Bourdain, who has proven that one can have integrity in show biz and still churn out world acclaimed work.
Rest in peace Anthony.
