Like many of us I've binged on Parts Unknown and No Reservations without guilt. My impression of Bourdain and his forms of expression was that of an extremely authentic individual, which was very refreshing in this age of artificial quick fixes. He had a knack for getting in close with people and extracting equally authentic feelings and opinions. His shows did such a great job of appealing to all senses of our human nature. Though what was a natural talent may have been a sign of his struggle. Not once did I ever think that Bourdain was hurting inside; he exuded a certainty about how to live life and made his purpose very clear. But those who feel a certain pain tend to sometimes act out in the opposite way of what they are experiencing, possibly looking to quell an internal struggle with external solutions; or perhaps as a defense mechanism.
Regardless of the cause of his pain, in hindsight, had he addressed this conflict he may very well still be here today and more importantly be at peace with himself.
What I took from his death was that we must respect one another's journey because we do not know what our neighbors are going through. Life is in large part about coming to terms with our own personal hell, and as if that struggle wasn't bad enough many of us choose to go at it alone. I would ask that we check in on one another from time to time to see how we're doing and to encourage each other to pursue personal happiness and practice understanding when others feel burdened. Let the people in your life know they're appreciated and loved and make it clear that you're there to lend an ear whenever they may need someone to talk to.
We individually have the power to address a magnitude of suffering on this earth and seemingly minor instances of positivity can have huge ripple effects.
