Not a Pretty Thought, But One I Had Just This Morning

On this one week anniversary of my blog, I thought I would take a break from talking about myself and discuss something that has to do with the world at large.  Is it possible for a person's death to have been in vain?  Apparently, not in America.  When a person's child, parent, sibling, or rat dies suddenly and unexpectedly here in our country most feel the need to immortalize them.  Understand that I am not belittling the sadness of losing a loved one, especially when it happens suddenly, but at what point was it decided that 'providence' is a bad word and that crap in a fallen world shouldn't happen?  Some deaths are just in vain.  There, I have stated my opinion.  This latest thought or opinion has come from keen observations over the last several years, from a combination of articles and news stories, personal acquaintances, and people with signs on their cars.  I'll start with articles and news stories to clarify.  I once read an article where a woman's 10 year old son choked to death on a hot dog.  This is a TRUE story.  Apparently, she had often cut his hot dog into small pieces and this particular time was no exception.  In her grief and outrage, she started a petition to have the hot dog companies place a warning label on their packages.  Now, I am sorry that 'Ted' died, but there is no need to justify his death by forcing an entire food industry to point out the obvious, which is chew your food before swallowing.  Now on a more personal level, I know of a couple that had lost their teenage daughter due to a tragic car accident involving some black ice on the road.  This is tragic and I  won't say that I find any humor in her actual death.  But, for the next ten years they sponsored a race to raise money in order for them to give out bike helmets to school children in their daughter's memory.  How does giving out bike helmets to a bunch of middle and upper middle class children makes this not a death in vain?  I just don't see it.  And, last but not least is the memorial signs on the back windows of cars.  I'm just going to be blunt here these are usually 'old beat up cars'.  It's not very often you see a nice new BMW with one of these.  How does placing "Eunice Smithhopper Apr. 2, 1950 - Jan. 5, 1990" on a 'car' honor her memory?  I don't get it.  Stuff happens, there is pain in this world, and Eunice didn't live the full life many had hoped.  But, we no longer view these thoughts as an acceptable part of our reality.  No, we have to make 'good' out of every single circumstance.  In closing, I just want you all to know that there is now an undisclosed amount of money added to the "People Who are too Poor to Pay for Their Pet's Life Saving Procedure" fund at our local vet, on behalf of my son's dead mouse, Jerry.  Just in case our family thought, even for a moment, her life was in vain.

November 5, 2008 - October 2, 2010