On Heath

Heath Ledger was found dead yesterday in a Soho apartment. I am sure we have all heard this news. And I am not sure why I feel compelled to write about it, since there really is no "new rule" I can think of to relate to this situation - other than, to be callous and sarcastic, don't OD on sleeping meds....

But in all honesty, this kind of loss is such a slap of reality for my generation. He was 28 years old. I am not that much older. He had already lived such an incredibly full existence, and showed so much promise for many more years to come of career success. I would like to think (hope!) the same of myself. He had a little girl, a family. OK, no kids here but of course I have a family and a really great circle of friends.

Should this kind of tragedy remind us that life is fragile, short, precious? That we should live each day to its fullest and never take anything or anyone in our lives for granted? What if we already try to live this way? What if Heath Ledger too lived this way? He certainly seemed to, from the little the public knew of him. And I really doubt that him living such a full and promising life makes his death any easier for those who loved him, those he left behind - it probably makes it even harder to accept.

So what is the point, really, of such a tragic end to an otherwise promising life? Is there a lesson to be learned? If there is, someone please tell me. I have yet to understand why such things happen.

New Rule: I need to get back to work and stop obsessing about this...

--EJ