Heath’s passing – A heartfelt reminder

  Heartfelt for some and a reminder of death for others, Hollywood actor, Heath Ledger’s death after ‘an overdose of antidepressants’ has spread all over front page news. Google the story and you will get thousands of updates after just a day of the release.  ‘Heath Ledger – the name short for “Heathcliff’ – is an actor who had grown in stature, in sensitivity, in feeling and in creative intelligence.”  

Not that I compel the sympathy or feel completely devoid of compassion that I feel the need to nitpick over the mourn. But rather feel somewhat indebted to express the colossal frustration stemming within vis-à-vis the witlessly diffused journalists who engage in the incessant hearsay about how his life ended, the implications and his motives. Whether this was intentional or accidental overdose of pills, what will a prolonged coverage of the possibilities on national television achieve?    It seems that the media’s apparent incapability to see beyond Hollywood and its anguish for acumen affirms the reality that the medium of news is void of real exposure of the bona fide tragedies prevalent worldwide.

 Need I remind you or myself of the tragedies in Palestine, Iraq, Sudan, and the injustices existing in countless nations?  The lack of exposure and jargon of hard news is rather shocking, I mean how absurd? There are millions dying, suffering and tormented around the world, warlords claiming to spread peace through killing and dishonouring pollutes. Meanwhile we sit and listen to news reporter’s rage and rant about the death of one man, while children globally are victims of mass destruction; children who wake each day with abundant gratitude and hope of living another day, surely the latter must take precedence. 

 Instead of using the media as a means of analysing the death of Heath, why can the media not just leave the family to mourn in peace and utilise the medium of journalism as a means of unfolding with vividness the injustices taking place worldwide?

The news of anyone passing away is always sad. Reminds us yet again that death can come at any moment. “What is the greatest riddle to man? That he sees death all around him yet he thinks he won’t ever die himself.” Perhaps in the very least let’s hope that Heath’s death remains a continuous reminder to us all. Another example of how Hollywood can eat their young. Even when it seems that they “have it all,” they have no internal peace. Evidently, there must be more to life. 

Heath said in an interview before his passing “Acting is also a form of escapism. You put on costumes but what you’re escaping from most of the time is life, the social world.” But whatever he was trying to escape we’ll never really know.

Renowned boxer, Muhammad Ali Clay once said: “This life is not real. I conquered the world and it did not bring me satisfaction.”  And on another occasion when asked about his illness, he said: “God gave me this illness to remind me that I’m not number One; He is.” The perceptible echelon of humility demonstrated by this humble being has an astounding voice of its own.

“Deprivation hurts you….
only because of your incomprehension of God in it
When He gives, He shows you His kindness;
when He deprives, He shows you His power,
and in all that, He is making Himself known to you
and coming to you with His gentleness.“

~Hikm of Ibn Ata’allah

 Heath’s life is a testament to the reality that every being is in need of a deeper meaning of inner contentment, contentment that can and never will be attained through striving for material treasures. We as individuals must always seek a clear life goal and purpose, a rationale which illustrates the proper way to live. The inner dimensions of totality, the path to purpose, meaning and happiness; the path to the source of truth and real power; the path that puts everything is in its proper place. Ultimately, that internal warmth and comfort: a fitting metaphor for wholly putting on our covenants.

 (NB: my condolence goes out to the family, his wife and his daughter.)