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Zelda Williams Shares Hopeful Message One Year After Robin Williams' Death

Zelda Williams, daughter of the late comedian and actor Robin Williams, shared a touching reflection on life without her father with her Instagram followers over the weekend. It’s been just over a year since her father’s death.

The actress posted a photo of a gorgeous moonrise over a lake on the photo-sharing app. Williams added an emotional caption about being hopeful during life’s toughest, most heartbreaking moments.

Moonrise on the lake.I spent this night shivering and laughing under a clear, cold sky full of stars with people I love just to witness something beautiful. We mooned the moon and laughed ourselves hoarse, and I’m so incredibly grateful for every silly second. I came to a realization this year that I feel compelled to share here, for whomsoever may need it: Avoiding fear, sadness or anger is not the same thing as being happy. I live my sadness every day, but I don’t resent it anymore. Instead, I do it now so that the wonderful moments of joy I do find are not in order to forget, but to inhabit and enjoy for their own sake. It’s not easy. In fact, I’d say it takes much more effort to consciously do than it does to just stay sad, but with all my heart, I cannot tell you how worth it it is. And for those suffering from depression, I know how dark and endless that tunnel can feel, but if happiness seems impossible to find, please hold on to the possibility of hope, faint though it may be. Because I promise you, there’re enough nights under the same yellow moon for all of us to share, no matter how or when you find your way there.

Williams has spoken out about mental illness in the past. In October, she shared a tweet urging everyone to “end the stigma” associated with mental illness. She also encouraged her followers to look into different mental health charities.

So please, let’s help stop the misconceptions & support those who need our help. Healing the whole starts with healing minds.

— Zelda Williams (@zeldawilliams) October 10, 2014

Some wonderful mental health charities: http://t.co/DMJqswJhjb http://t.co/77X7GlohKt
http://t.co/tpQwaXC2mU
http://t.co/aOPYhRep5m

— Zelda Williams (@zeldawilliams) October 10, 2014

No matter what the misinformed say, you can’t simply CHOOSE to make mental illness go away. It is NOT cowardly to suffer or seek help.

— Zelda Williams (@zeldawilliams) October 10, 2014

Lastly, my dad openly fought depression his whole life, both in general and his own. No matter what anyone says, it is a FIGHT. Fight on.

— Zelda Williams (@zeldawilliams) October 10, 2014

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