You're Only Given One Little Spark Of Madness. You Mustn't Lose It

I don't think any celebrity's death has affected me as much as that of Robin Williams. By now, you have all heard. Maybe some of you have shed a tear. Others Netflix-ed all of your favorite films starring the man who has made us all laugh for decades. Who made our parents and grandparents laugh with us. If you're in your 20's, it's possible that some of the first films you remember watching starred Williams himself. For me, they are Jumanji (1995) and Jack (1996). Even as a kid, what struck me about his films was that despite being comedies, often meant to inspire children, there was always something far more profound going on. Jack is nothing short of hysterical, but it also teaches us to seize every single moment we have on this planet, even in the times everything seems mostly bad. Even if things seem mostly bad more often than not.

As I got older and saw The Birdcage, Bicentennial Man and Dead Poets Society, I realized Robin Williams wasn't just another funny guy. He seemed to be The Little Prince himself, with his innocent eyes and that smile that could create instant comfort and really make you think about the universe and your place in it. When Zelda Williams shared a quote via social media from Antoine de Saint Exupery's novella in tribute to her father, I wasn't surprised.

"You... you alone will have the stars as no one else has them. In one of the stars I shall be living. In one of them I shall be laughing. And so it will be as if all the stars were laughing, when you look at the sky at night. You, only you, will have stars that can laugh." 

Something we hear more often than not is that suicide is an act of cowardice. I cannot express how fundamentally wrong I believe that statement to be. Knowing you are about to end your place in this world, leaving those you love behind... that isn't an "easy" choice to make. It takes a certain kind of bravery that most of us cannot and will not ever fathom. Williams's characters all demonstrated bravery, and that bravery became something I associated the actor with for my entire life. His final choices are no different.

It might seem odd that I would choose to post outfit photos amidst all this, but the reason I was drawn to this Neverland dress by Pinup Girl Clothing is because Hook was my absolute favorite movie when I was a kid. It was beautifully made, beautifully acted and will always be a glimmer of hope and fun and innocence when things seem otherwise bleak and grim.







This dress is a 2XL, one size larger than I usually wear. I definitely recommend checking out the size chart and consider sizing up as items tend to run small.