Loss Touches Us All

Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

Yes, Michael Jackson was a pop star, Farrah Fawcett was an actress, and Ed McMahon was a great late-night sidekick. But they were entertainers, and most of us didn't know them at all. So what is with all this attention to their deaths? Why is it all the world wants to talk about when we are dealing with so many other issues like hunger and violence in the world?

The thing is, none of us are immune to death. We are all touched by it throughout our lives, and eventually we will one day pass away. So when someone we grew up watching or admire for their talent passes, it is a loss we all share. Each one of them touched people's lives in different ways, but their deaths remind us that these larger than life figures weren't immune to the same fate we all face.

So, deaths like these serve to remind us how frail our lives are. It reminds us how much we have to lose while we are here and to live our lives to the fullest while we are here on earth, because we have only one life to live here. Yes, as Christians we understand we will have a different existence after we die, but that doesn't mean we don't live life while we are alive here.

Our faith may give us strength when facing the passing of those we love or admire. Our faith allows us to pray for the comfort of those suffering in these passings. Yet, our faith also tells us to be a light on earth. We are to smile, have fun, and enjoy every day that God gives us. We need to be grateful for the small moments and the large wonderful ones. There is so much to enjoy in our lives, and sometimes when we face loss, as we all are seeing this week on our televisions, radio, etc., we need to be reminded that life needs to be lived, because it is just so short.