Death is Nature's Way of Telling You to Slow Down

So in the wake of Heath Ledger's untimely death I was reading some postings on an on-line bulletin board. The question was, "What celebrity's death shocked you?"

I couldn't believe the responses.

One person said "Bob Hope" and another "Ronald Reagan."

Bob Hope was 100 years old when he died. How could that possibly be a shock? Even to Bob?

Ronald Reagan wasn't just 93 when he passed. He had Alzheimer's. I can't picture anyone saying in response to his demise, "Gee. I just didn't expect that."

Granted, most people were shocked about Princess Diana's death. However, had we known she was getting into a car with a lead footed chauffeur who was high as a kite maybe we wouldn't have been.

John F. Kennedy Senior, now that shocked most of us in 1963. John F. Kennedy, Jr., though? I don't think I was shocked about that. Perhaps I've just gotten cynical in my old age. There he was, aviating, lacking the skill or experience to fly at night based on instruments. What ending could you expect to a flight like that?

It's always sad when people die "before their time," but other than the Almighty, who knows what "their time" is?