Mr Bourdain. My thoughts

There have been negative comments about the matter of celebrity suicide.

I'm not sure feeling strong emotion against celebrities who take their own lives helps much. What can we say, 'Hey, celebrities, don't suicide because it sets a bad example'. When they do they're not celebrities, just people in crisis like everyone else.

My reaction to celebrity suicide is somewhat unusual. First, I would never judge that person. I dislike people who criticise and judge that person, like when Robin Williams died. No one has that right. We remember what the person achieved, but not judge them on their decision. Walk in another person's shoes, as they say. I don't know much about Mr Bourdain and his issues so can't comment. I do know I'm close to him in age, and with many more days behind than ahead, and realization that it only gets harder from here, can weigh heavily. Some in this world choose to leave at a time of their choosing. I do get that.

Secondly, it does occur to me that celebrities with wealth who end their lives are the saddest of all. Those of us who get by with the minimum, who dream of things we could do if we had serious money, can at least dream of that. But a wealthy person, who cannot even imagine how their wealth might be used to change their lives, to help others, to reinvent themselves, or do a myriad of things that wealth provides in this world, has not even that to dream of anymore.

That, to his atheist, who would like to do so much more if I had the means, is indeed sad.