Philip Seymour Hoffman

Phillip Seymour Hoffman

Many mourn the tragic death of Philip Seymour Hoffman, dead so much before his time.  The Oscar winner was also nominated 3 times as best supporting actor.  I delighted in his role as the geeky-roomate of Patch Adams.  What a straight man for Robin Williams' zany performances.  Yet, I truly wonder with sorrow why it is that we increasing see those from Hollywood who get the big prize and fail at life.  They are bigger than life on the screen and stage--yet can't handle it. Hoffman was found dead of an apparent heroin overdose, hardly any surprise for his self-admitted addiction.

In Patch Adams, Hoffman rails at Robin Williams for making life and the medical profession "a joke."  Hoffman works hard and tows the line; Williams is off the scale brilliant and just has to show to get the grades.  The lines that Hoffman used in Patch Adams was a role he could not play in life. 

We are called to be ourselves, to live authentic life--to get out of the phony roles and lines we memorize and play to cope with the world.  It is enough, quite enough--isn't it--to be who God created us to be.  Yet, there is Hollywood in all of us I suspect--wanted to claim the prize of life, earn the Oscar--rather than prize the life that we have been given by God.  What must we memorize to be ourselves as God created us to be?