DEATH NEVER TAKES A HOLIDAY

The past year brought a plethora of celebrity deaths, far more than usual it seemed. Around the holidays a cluster of them dominated the news, so last New Year's Eve had an element of sadness among the celebrating.

The New Year has always been a solemn holiday for me, anyway. I can't help but think of all the ones in my life who didn't make it to this point. At my current age, I know more people on the other side than those who are alive.

A dear friend who spent Christmas in another state told me of friends who lost a family member close to Christmas. We agreed that's the worse time to lose someone because it forever taints the holiday.

I don't mean to trivialize any of these deaths with this memory; I  had to put a beloved cat down on the First Day of Spring back in the 1980's. I cried every day for a year! I mean I cried so hard the muscles in my face hurt. Even now, that day makes me sad. And I never cried a tear when my grandparents died, or even one for my mother!

It's always a tragedy when the world loses a great talent and they deserve to be saluted. But on a personal level most of these celebrities meant nothing to me and will not be missed. That's the cold hard truth. Besides, their body of work will always be around and enjoyed, so in a sense they'll never be completely gone.

Of course we don't know what went on behind the scenes, but most of these celebrity deaths came as a sudden shock.

My father used to say that when someone dies after a prolonged illness, it's a big relief to the survivors. My father himself would come to die after a prolonged illness. And NO, it was NOT a big relief. And YES, I did cry despite the fact my dad was controlling and could be cruel. I still loved him, plus he was a fixture in my life. -- Later, from time-to-time he made his presence known in my home after he left the flesh.

I've heard that the bible states we should mourn a birth and celebrate a death. I am not religious, but I do believe in the immortal soul. Perhaps with age as the body deteriorates and weakens the spirit at last is able to break free, shedding its cage of flesh and bone; released to ultimate autonomy and its true destiny. Perhaps death is a positive experience and not something to be faced with dread. Someday we'll ALL find out.