Everyone knows...Heath Ledger has passed away. Toxicology reports are being run, and my mom-gut (albeit a hefty one) tells me his death was most likely accidental. As I was sitting at work yesterday, just after hearing the news, a huge wave of sadness swept over me because I started to think about his poor baby girl who will never know her father. After sleeping on these thoughts, and trying to process the entire situation, I came to some clarifying conclusions.
I will go on record saying I understand tradgedies happen like this every day. I know, as sad as it may seem, people are accidentally taking the wrong meds, too much meds, or a combination of both (young and old). When someone so public, who has had no public media controversies, and has presented himself as a quiet family man, suddenly passes, it just feels more real to me (I really don't know if the previous thought makes any sense...I know it makes sense in my head..so bare with me).
In a small nutshell...I would have been less affected if it was Brittney Spears (don't I sound shallow?!).
I also think the issues covered on the news have a lot to do with what people feel affected by. For instance, when I hear someone was murdered in murderapolis, I think "that sucks" then I shrug it off...without thinking about how their families and friends have been hurt or saddened by the loss. If the media were to tell the stories of lives affected by tradgedy, the local news across the country would have to run 24-7.
I consider myself extremely lucky for not having to go through the loss of a friend, or someone I know well that was close to me in age. I have lost all of my grandparents, and remember how much it hurt, and still hurts sometimes.
In times when we are reminded how easy it is to lose someone close to us, I ask that everyone take a moment and be thankful for the present.
"I would rather have one rose and a kind word
From a friend while I'm here
Than a whole truck load when I'm gone "
-Totally cheesey...but totally true
1 week ago
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it is sad. and part of what makes it sad is knowing that he was a quiet man just trying to live his life. he wasn't an attention-seeker or making a mochary of himself (ala Britney).
ReplyDeletewhat does concern me is how quickly they were able to perform an autopsy on his body - 1 day. people who are murdered have to wait days, sometimes longer for autopsies to determine the cause of death. maybe ledger's was just a preliminary autopsy, but that's not how the media is spinning it. that forces a little perspective on me. personally.