YUKO TAKEUCHI PASSES AWAY AT 40...

 

I think most people will agree that 2020 has really been a trying year. Due to the challenges we have all faced on a global scale, I reflected on what my priorities are in life more than ever. I'm sure most of us have had those moments where we feel like we're not productive or feel like we wish we were doing something more exciting. It's especially difficult when we can't visit family or friends or heal ourselves spiritually/emotionally at our favorite hangout spots. Most of the time, I generally think that celebrities have everything they want, that they've succeeded in life and have it better than most of us. They're beautiful, charming and have this mysterious aura about them, like they're not human but, almost godly in a way that they can't be touched by mere mortals. Recently with the passing of Haruma Miura about 2 months ago and now Yuko Takeuchi among others, I think it's fair to say the obvious; that celebrities are really just like anyone of us. We're all human, trying our best to figure out how to navigate through the challenges of life. Takeuchi-san was truly one of my favorite Japanese actresses of all time. She seemed so down to earth and professional. Her smile could light up the whole universe. My favorite drama is still Pride and hearing about her death just grinded my heart to a halt. Of course I will never know who she really was and when something like this happens, the usual reaction is of shock and confusion. All we can do is attempt to piece together why she decided to end her life at such an early age even though we will never know for sure. I'm trying to focus more on things that I have control over and less on things that I can't control. With that said, it is very hard to not think about this unfortunate event. As I get older, I feel that many things in life seem rather meaningless. Life is already short and I think it's up to each one of us to find some sort of personal meaning, a goal or mission to live life to the best of our ability. I feel saddened that she was going through such despair but, I thank her for leaving us with amazing memories of her work. May she rest in peace.