When you wake up, you likely don’t think today is going to be your last day – to breathe, eat, run, walk or do anything else that comprises of daily existence. The alarm clock within reach tells you that you have more time, so you roll back over for five, ten more minutes. You doze off, wake up again and start your day just the same as the ones before – or maybe your clock tells you something completely different.
Maybe it signals the start of a fight.
A quiet struggle. A storm you’d rather weather with whatever strength and normalcy you can muster because you know what’s coming, when others seemingly don’t. A clock may even stir something on the inside that’s just below the surface – something kept hidden or pushed down.
From an outsider’s perspective like mine, it seemed as if world-renowned chef, author and human rights activist Anthony Bourdain had it all – and wasn’t selfish with what he had. His adventures in food and travel highlighted the importance of sharing and learning new things while showing audiences that the sky was indeed the limit.
He did all this with passion and a willingness to genuinely show warmth and kindness to the people who prepared the food he ate on his shows – wherever he and his crew went. The news of his death on June 8 sent shockwaves through the culinary world, which was heightened by the fact he had become the latest public figure to take their own life. Bourdain was the second celebrity to die by suicide during the week of June 8, with fashion designer Kate Spade being the first.
However, while he was often open about his struggles with heroin addiction and depression, the notion that Bourdain did “have it all”, like so many celebrities who have passed before him, has become a very dangerous way of thinking. The Huffington Post published an article shortly after Bourdain’s death, which outlines why this is so detrimental – and yet, painfully relevant. The June 10th piece serves as a reminder that wealth – in whatever form, does not guarantee happiness regardless of one’s stature. More importantly, it can be argued that Bourdain’s bold, free-spirited approach to life was a lesson in how we should live our own.
His Emmy and Peabody award-winning show, Parts Unknown, was a major hit on CNN and gave viewers a free ticket to journey along with him as he explored the vast ways food, travel and people come together to build the foundation for fascinating, brilliant stories. The network released a statement confirming Bourdain’s passing, saying,
It is with extraordinary sadness we can confirm the death of our friend and colleague, Anthony Bourdain. His love of great adventure, new friends, fine food and drink and the remarkable stories of the world made him a unique storyteller. His talents never ceased to amaze us and we will miss him very much. Our thoughts and prayers are with his daughter and family at this incredibly difficult time.
To say it’s sad that Bourdain’s name is now added to the alarmingly growing list of celebrities who have taken their own lives, is a painfully deep and sharp understatement. In my opinion, there isn’t enough that can ever be done – or said – about suicide prevention. By the same token, I don’t think the topic of suicide prevention will ever be irrelevant, after hearing and reading this statement for what seems like the one-thousandth time. Even so, I’m trying to connect this tragedy with something I know for sure.
With that being said, I must confess that I love food. It has been one of my absolute favorite things in the world since childhood – and to know that I somehow missed Anthony in my personal discovery of world class chefs – is admittedly unbelievable to me now.
I got a very late introduction to his critically-acclaimed show, No Reservations, a few years ago. I became so engrossed with it that I started doing some research on his other shows. I found so much more than that: humanitarian efforts, human rights advocacy and a passion for bridging the gap between cultures. I was blown away by the fact that this man with a checkered past – whom many only know from television, did so much and asked for so little in return.
Anthony Bourdain wasn’t just one thing.
He was many things. Above all else, however, he was regarded as a visionary in the culinary world. Now, with that visionary gone, fans and celebrities alike are finding relevancy in what he left behind. Perhaps equally as important, maybe we can learn to embrace the unknown as openly as he did.
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Photo by Haus of Zeros on Unsplash