Candles for Kurt

Published on April 4, 2004 By dharmagrl In Misc

I have to give Unfairman props for planting this seed in my mind.

In case you didn't know, Monday, April 5th will mark the 10 year anniversary of Kurt Cobain's death. Kurt affected many, many people during his short but bright life, myself included, and continues to affect some of us even though he's no longer living.

In tribute to his life and work I would like to suggest that on Monday we each light a candle in memory of him. You don't have to keep it going all day, just light it and take a moment to think of Kurt and his legacy, then snuff it out of you wish. Burn it all day if you so desire...I know I will. Just take a second to honor a great musician and poet .

Let me know if you're with me and will be participating.

Thank you for your time.

Comments

Sugaree

on Apr 04, 2004

I'm sorry but, as much as I loved kurt, he is/was a coward! He took the easy way out and only left a mess for everyone else. ..I will lite a candle for his daughter, She'll only get to know her father thru stories and mtv

MadPoet41

on Apr 04, 2004

I think it is a bit too simplistic to say that someone is a "coward" because they deliberately chose to die. Killing yourself is not an easy act. You don't believe it? Then give it a go. I'm not being flippant here. I'm speaking from experience. I've got the scars on both my wrists to prove I seriously THOUGHT about taking my own life (this was when I was only 19 years old--many, many years ago...). And you know what? As much pain as I was in at the time (clinical depression, major anxiety disorder, and a stubborn bout of obsessive compulsive disorder) after I slit both my wrists, and lay down on the bathroom floor to die--it suddenly began to dawn on me that death was gonna be FOREVER!! And that is a very scary thought. You cannot even begin to imagine the panic and fear you experience at that moment. So please don't tell me that Kurt Cobain--or anybody else--is a coward because they took the "easy way out." Easy? So you really think so, huh? I will grant you this much. It does take a lot of bravery to face life when you are in a lot of pain. I admire a person who can fight pain and win--to keep on living and fighting, etc. That takes a lot of strength and guts for sure. But to call Kurt Cobain a coward because he chose to take his own life is a bit too harsh for comfort. I would prefer to say that he was in an incredible amount of mental and physical pain (he had a lot of physical problems too--it wasn't just mental health stuff), and during a "weak" moment, when it all just became too much anymore, he picked up that shotgun and put a stop to his misery. Plus I honestly feel that his judgement was seriously impaired from all the drugs that he took--many of which were prescribed by a doctor for his bleeding ulcers and other health problems he had. So there were a lot of factors involved in this. I am most certainly gonna light a candle for Kurt--and I will let it flicker in my window for the entire day. It's just so ironic sometimes? Kurt tried not to judge folks harshly while he was still alive. Almost all of his songs are about rethinking prejudice, and trying to understand differences in people. That it is even okay to be considered a conspicuous freak by the majority--because most people have an ugliness inside them that they just try and keep hidden anyway. I still think he was one of the most beautiful souls to come out of the entire grunge movement. And I will not stop saying that about him--just because of the "cowardly" way he chose to make an exit from this frequently harsh and judgemental world. Let us all light a candle for Kurt. And then another one for all the misguided people who think he took the easy way out.

dharmagrl

on Apr 04, 2004

Wow, Mad, that was inspiring...truly inspiring. Thank you...

China, he's right. Suicide isn't always the 'cowardly' was out. Until you've been there, until you've been in that much pain that you really seriously consider ending your life, I don't think you're in a position to declare what it is or isn't.

Tangled Wishes

on Apr 06, 2004

Go Madpoet and Dharma.

I agree.

And I'm pissed that I was a stoner yesterday and didn't read this until NOW!!!

I used to be obsessed with Nirvana, and Kurt, and I'm kinda disappointed in myself for not remembering.

Well either way I would have had I not been an idiot.

~Anne

TARSIER

on Apr 07, 2004

SOrry Dharma, I kinda stole ur swing with my article. Had I known you wrote one i would have just added on to it. I also would have lit a candle.

MadPoet41

on Apr 07, 2004

Hey Dharma~I think we really are winning lots and lots of folks over to the light a candle for Kurt (but not in the window) idea!! I mean, even if you weren't able to do it this year? Folks can still go ahead and plan on doing it next year~I know I will. I thought it was the sweetest and bestest idea I've heard of in many a year! (I wrote "bestest" on purpose!

) And I am grateful to you for thinking of this. VERY. Because it really did help me to feel less sad about Kurt's passing. That flickering candle was very comforting. So yeah, I am gonna try and do it for now on ALWAYS. Same time next year, etc. I hope some other folks will too?

~MadPoet

dharmagrl

on Apr 08, 2004

It's ok, Tarsier..the more the merrier. The more people write about him, the more people will be reminded of him, will think of him...and so he will be gone but not forgotten.

Mad..yes, I think I'm going to do this every year.

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