by Chris Olsen

Created on: February 19, 2009

I want to start off by saying that I have never been afraid of death; I don't fear the reaper. Someone else's death could definitely be a wake up call for somebody, particularly when someone closer in age or younger than you dies either by murder, accident, suicide, or perhaps natural causes. I think it's painful when a young child dies, leaving this world before he/she even has a chance to live. However, what's even more heart-wrenching is when a parent loses one of their own children.

My granddad in Florida is a three-time widower and has outlived three children, one by suicide. I can't imagine the emotional toll that must take on that poor man. He's eighty-plus years old, and healthy as can be, but the pain has got to be heavy and so painful that I can't even imagine.

The idea of dying can be a bit of a wake-up call to somebody, like in a near-death situation, comatose in a hospital bed, or anything else you could probably imagine. Sometimes, I ask one has to ask, "If I die tomorrow, what kind of life will I have left behind?" Either living by the motto, "live fast, die young", partying every night and having the time of your life. How about the exact opposite, people who are extraordinarily careful and cautious over their well-being, eating healthy and whatnot, and realize that he/she hasn't really had that much fun? Is having the time of your life with a young death better, worse, or the same as a life of being healthy;exercising and eating right and not having that much fun with friends similar to Ned Flanders on an earlier episode of "The Simpsons"? "Moderation is the key" is another popular motto to live by, but someone who lives this kind of life could easily be killed by a freak accident, and that may be enough to open up a person's eyes to the reality of this harsh realization, regardless of how miniscule the chances are it'll likely to happen.

I have always told people that anything can happen, quite literally, at any time, but that's no reason to live overly-cautious and paranoid, if you're the kind that's afraid of death, because you'll just be causing that much more trouble for yourself. I quite often think if a world-famous celebrity today would be long gone by tomorrow, most recently the late Heath Ledger who died awfully young earlier this year. After a legendary performance as The Joker in "The Dark Night", he passed away before the film's release, just didn't seem fair in a way, but that's what happens when you go overboard with those pills. I often wonder what would happen if President Barack Obama, arguably the most celebrated living President in history, and understandably so. would die tomorrow in any way, shape, or form? With the problems plaguing our economy these days combined with all of America's issues resting upon his shoulders, who knows what Dark Age the U.S. will find itself in.

I've always lived by the philosphy, live for today and worry about tomorrow when it comes and I know many people just like that, but I also know many people that don't see things that way, which is perfectly fine. On a personal level, if I were to join the ranks of the deceased before I feel I'm ready, I'm confident that it'll be for a divine purpose, yet may feel that too much was left undone or I may have not left anything to show for however long I've lived. In closing, live for today and I would recommend doing something meaningful for yourself, or more importantly (I think) for someone you love becuase you never what could happen tomorrow.

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