At the end of 1997, I thought to myself that the year had been incredibly full of death. Now, in April 1998, I’m rather shaken by the number of deaths so far this year.
I know that people die everyday, but the deaths I am talking about are those of people in the spotlight or people that I know. Last week I went to the NME web site to see three news bulletins in a row announcing deaths.. further down the page there was a fourth.
A lot more people find fame these days. Media has expanded and exists everywhere. There are soap stars, movie stars, authors, journalists, and their lives affect ours. There are child stars who we watch grow up before our eyes, there are writers who touch our hearts with genuine words, and there are heroes.
And then news comes forth today that Rik Mayall has had a quad bike accident and has suffered head injuries. Another life on the edge.
It hurts to think of anyone suffering. The idea of anyone having to face either a friend’s death, or their own, is incredibly sad.
There will be a day soon when someone you ‘know’ will die every day. You will come home from work to watch the news and they will announce death after death after death and atleast one of those names or faces will touch your heart. But how long is it until hearing about death becomes just another daily activity on par with brushing your teeth?