I just watched the movie A Night in the Museum (with Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson) over the weekend and woke to the sad news that Owen had apparently tried to commit suicide over the weekend.

In my post about mindfulness yesterday, I had mentioned the value of meditation in calming our minds and helping us focus on just this moment. One of the effects of this slowing down & observing our thoughts is developing the ability to let go of judging ourselves. We learn to stop comparing how we feel on the inside to how we imagine others are by viewing their outside.

Owen Wilson is a movie star. He’s wealthy & by all accounts popular and he sure looked happy. With his grin and self-deprecating sense of humor he came across as a naturally upbeat person; a guy who didn’t have to ‘act’ the parts he had in all those comedies. He was the characters he played.

Now we find that he has some problems. Some very serious problems. All of his money and fame couldn’t buy him peace of mind. The black dog is an equal opportunity dis-ease (not at ease!). It doesn’t care how well off you are, how many friends you have, what kind of car you drive or what swanky Hollywood parties and premiers you attend. When it decides to make itself at home in YOUR house, all of those possessions that we all crave to one degree or another and all of the friends and family we have . . . well, they all loose their value.

So when you think you don’t have to exercise, practice your anti-rumination strategies, stay connected to family and friends, meditate and just taking care of yourself . . . remember Owen Wilson and do what you need to do to stay on top of your black dog! And while you’re at it say a prayer for him and his family.

This entry was posted on Monday, August 27th, 2007 at 11:08 am and is filed under mindfulness.