Johnny Depp and Me

I know the title is intriguing, so I hope this doesn't disappoint.  As you may know, I've been on a Johnny Depp kick since the midst of the defamation trial.  I know, it goes against my character – I don't follow Hollywood – but the timing was right for what I chose to use as an escape.

Before the defamation trial, and despite Johnny Depp being one of the biggest actors, and heartthrobs, in Hollywood during my lifetime, I knew practically nothing about the man.  Now, I know more than I ever wanted to know about Johnny Depp.

Johnny Depp and I could not be more opposite in almost every aspect of our lives.

For example, Johnny Depp was raised by an abusive mother who hit him and threw things at him and bullied him by calling him names.  Johnny Depp's father left his family when Johnny was a teenager.  I, on the other hand, was raised in a loving home with goodly parents.

Johnny Depp started smoking, drinking alcohol, and using illegal drugs at a very young age.  Johnny has continued these bad habits throughout his life.  I, on the other hand, am a complete teetotaler and have never touched a cigarette, a drop of alcohol, nor any illegal drugs.  I don't even like taking over-the-counter or prescription drugs when they are medically warranted.  In fact, I go so far as to even avoid ingesting caffeine.

Johnny Depp is prolific in his use of profanity, vulgarity, vile and crude language. I, on the other hand, have never uttered a curse word in my life – except for euphemisms, which I now try to avoid.  I try my best to use clean language at all times.

Johnny Depp is a Hollywood liberal.  I, on the other hand, could not be more conservative.

Johnny Depp is not a man of faith.  I don't know if he is agnostic or atheist but I did hear him say in an interview – probably from several years ago – that his faith was in his children.  He is not a religious man.  I, on the other hand, am a devout Christian and staunch Latter-day Saint.

Johnny Depp is charismatic, witty, funny, and basically has a great personality.  He is a very likable guy.  I, on the other hand, am dull, uninteresting, and have the worst personality in the history of mankind.  I am not that likable.

Johnny Depp is male.  I am female.  We're even the opposite sex.  We are fundamentally different.

However, there is one characteristic that we both share.  We both cherish the truth.

Actually, despite our many differences, Johnny and I do share a few similarities.  

First of all, we are both extraordinarily good-looking.  Johnny Depp and I both share an exceptionally rare natural beauty. :-)

Johnny Depp also comes across as a very honest man.  I like to think that honesty is also a quality that I possess.

Johnny Depp isn't plastic.   He tells it like it is, and says what he thinks.  I like to think that I am also real and not plastic.

Other redeeming qualities that I perceive in Johnny Depp include: loving, caring, generous, humble, and kind.  These are qualities I may or may not possess.

But back to our biggest shared characteristic – our love of and quest for truth.

Johnny Depp brought the defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard for one reason – for the truth to be known.  That's all he wanted.  Truth.

Johnny Depp was willing to "split himself open" as he said, to let the truth be known.  It wasn't easy for him to have to open up his life to the world, but the truth was that important to him.  And I'm happy to say that truth prevailed!  Johnny won his lawsuit and restored his reputation.  Johnny told the truth.

What is truth?

Truth is eternal.  Truth is unchanging.  Truth is reality.  You cannot change truth to suit your needs.  There is no such thing as my truth or your truth.  Truth is truth.

We live in a time of information overload.  Anything we want to know is at our fingertips.  Some information is true, some is false, and some is partially true.  How do we discern the truth?

The answer is through the Spirit of God.  Through the Holy Ghost.  The Holy Ghost testifies of all truths.

Truth is found in the gospel of Jesus Christ.  True happiness and joy are found in living the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I am grateful that I was blessed to be raised with the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

One day, in the next life, I hope I can share the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ with Johnny Depp.  And I hope he will embrace the truth.  I want him – and everyone – to find the joy and happiness that comes from the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Johnny Depp and I may be complete opposites in most aspects of our lives.  But the few similarities that we do share – especially our desire for truth – overcome all our differences.

Johnny Depp and I are both just two children of God doing the best we can to navigate our way through mortality in a quest for truth.  And looking pretty good while we do it, I might add.  :-)

That's my two cents.