The suicide of Iris Chang last week gave me a prolonged moment of pause. I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with her some years back during one very strange weekend, shortly after "The Rape Of Nanking" came out, and her now-famous intensity was not lost on me. I'll write in more detail later about the particulars of just how, where, and when I got to meet her. For now I'll just say I met a bunch of other amazing people that weekend; I shook President Clinton's hand twice, I pissed in the urinal next to Al Franken, nearly tripped over Ruth Westheimer, and traded quips with Bill Nye The Science Guy. My brother tried to get Chelsea Clinton's number (exactly what one would expect from him), and failed...
The world needs about a billion more people like Iris Chang. Maybe folks would think twice about behaving like morons, entire governments would reconsider stupid foreign policy, and tin-hat homocidal "world leaders" would take a big step back for fear of being shoved into the unkind court of global opinion. But even if Japan issues an apology for the Nanking atrocity tomorrow, realizing one of Chang's goals, it would have been worth it if it came a day later if she had just taken a few days off once in a while.
I think this is important. No matter how dedicated and passionate about anything you are, take a break. Put your all into it, but remember to take a break. Lots of them. Iris Chang was so passionate about exposing atrocity and injustice that she forgot all about herself, and ultimately was suffocated by her own drive. She apparently covered the walls of her study with horrendous photos depicting the atrocities in Nanking, and wouldn't let herself get away from it all. In the end it became utterly impossible.
Take a break and breathe. Have a nice scotch or a glass of wine. Smell a friggin' flower! Play with a dog and pet a cat. Cook something great, and THEN get back to work. Repeat.
Rest in much-deserved peace, Iris Chang. Good work. It was nice to have met you.