Horrible.

Of the things that I love most in life, music and Nashville are pretty much in the top of the list.

Exactly 10 days ago, I got en email in my inbox from the Country Music Hall of Fame. I skimmed through it, and noted in my head that the museum was going to be closed one day for an induction ceremony.

I read that the Judds were on the list of people who were going to be recognized at the event. I recognized that name and thought it was pretty cool to honor them. 

A couple of days ago, I read a weird headline about Naomi Judd’s death. It didn’t give details, but her daughter’s social media post did.

She lost her battle with mental illness, the post said.

And then my heart broke into tiny little pieces.

I’ve read a ton of comments online, on Twitter, news sites, Tik Tok. Some are supportive, but most just criticize Ashley and Wynonna’s appearance, a day after their mom took her own life, when both women were brave enough to go to the Hall of Face induction ceremony.

Because that’s what matters right now, right? What these two grieving women look like?

This is horrible for country music fans, and it’s a really dark time for the music world in general.

I’ve read a lot of comments about depression. Some people get it, others don’t. 

How can someone so successful, so rich, and so well known be depressed? Doesn’t she have everything to live for? 

Money? Fame? Talent?

The answer that I always tell people, and that I’ve heard throughout my life, is this: depression doesn’t care what your last name is or how much money is in your bank account. 

It doesn’t care if you have a cool job or fancy cars. 

Depression is a disease, just like cancer is. And like cancer, it doesn’t ask your permission to enter your life or wreck your life.

After someone takes their own life, there’s a group of people who push mental illness awareness, which definitely is not a bad thing.

But you can’t push out the message that people should ask for help while also criticizing someone who didn’t ask for help and then did dumb mental illness related things.

Like the woman once married to a famous man who has everyone glued to their television and trial right now.

It blows my mind that people aren’t recognizing what mental illness looks like.

It looks like a normal person, because normal people have these illnesses. 

Even attractive people.

You can’t want to save one mentally ill person and condemn the other.

It’s been a weird couple of days. It’s weird that people are talking about this right now, and it’s weird that this conversation will likely fizzle out until the next tragic thing happens in the world. 

Horrible is the only word that I can come up with right now. 

And as her daughter put it: I’m sorry she couldn’t hold on one more day to be here.

What a beautiful soul. 

As another commenter said: I hope she rests in peace. Finally.