An Ordinary Person's Tribute to Anthony Bourdain

I grew up with women cooks. My Mom was taught by her Father's Mother how to cook from scratch. My siblings and I were never shooed from the kitchen. We watched and learned.
I worked at fourteen in my Mom's pizza and deli shop. At sixteen I bussed in fine dining.
I always loved to read but, somewhere around 21 I really started blowing through books to relax. I read a lot of history and non fiction but, basically really was not interested in people living in the present.
Along came Kitchen Confidential. I was twenty three and having an exciting social life. This handsome, rebellious guy is on the cover and he wants to tell you about real kitchen life. I am intrigued because it's an old friend calling back from my bus girl years. I'm not going to act like I can recite from the book from way back then because it would be bullshit but, what I can tell you is he hooked me from beginning to end. Why? Because it was raw and honest. I knew the people he was talking about and I knew him. He was this smart, charismatic sexy guy who relished a bit too much in the party but, had a lot to offer. Just because he indulged and made some not so great decisions did not make him less it made him human. He was not an air brushed, hypocritical GQ cover. He was real. He is many of us who are creative, emotional and like connecting to all kinds of people. We are not hedge fund managers and analysts. We are the artists, creators, cooks, cabinet makers, designers and more. Part of the art, recipe, production are people with their emotions and stories.
When Bourdain died it really shocked me. He was an amazing contributor. He was a realist and still had so much to offer all of us. However a part of me understood. We can all say why did you leave your daughter, mother and friends? Sometimes being an emotionally, connected human being is tough. I don't judge Anthony. He was clearly critical of himself. He was an adult making a life decision in his mind was the best exit. Will this be excruciatingly hard for his daughter and loved ones, yes. If he can see the pain this has caused I am sure he has regrets because he was not callous.
At some point those hurt the most will accept he had his reasons which he thought were accurate in the situation he was in. They will hold onto memories and continue to live their best life. Perhaps Anthony thought he lived the best life possible and it was time to extinguish the flame. It is bitter. Even us random people would have loved a proper good bye. God Bless you Tony. You showed us there was more to the world than just bad headlines but, real people just like you.