requiescat in pace

Death. The Final Frontier. That undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns.

It comes suddenly and sometimes unexpectedly. Who saw Michael Jackson's death coming? Certainly we expected Farah Fawcett's, what with the cancer and all. And what about Ed McMahon? I haven't heard a thing about his death on the news.

Some say death is a part of nature, but what is so natural about not living?

My point though, to get straight to it, is the fact that we're all unprepared for it. We live our lives "to the fullest" and then once everyone is at your funeral and your life is being reviewed, you kind of realize that while we enjoyed life very much, how many of us can say we led a successful productive life?

Socrates said "The unexamined life is not worth living". Yes, we go from day to day worrying about petty things, but have we ever taken a step back to examine our life and see where it's headed? What is our ultimate end? Or how about examining or past and see how far we've come?

I ask you, "What is your goal?"

You say, "To go to college."

I then say, "And then what?"

"Graduate and have a career"

"And after that?"

"Get married and have a family"

"And then?"

"See my kids off to a successful life."

"And then?"

There is that last "and then" which most cannot answer.

You may say I'm rather harsh, but I am of the opinion that if you have not lived your life and dedicated it to the advancement of or have helped your fellow man in anyway, it would be better if you had not been born.

You see, if you go around, toiling and living, but only for yourself, what is the use of your life? Man has only a limited time here on earth and in all the years one lives, what have we done that we can say, I've made a positive impact on the world or I've made a change in someone's life?

Yes, Michael Jackson made music and there are bajillions of people who think he's God's gift to music. But in examining his life, would he have considered it worth living? Sure, he had millions in the bank. His face was known around the world. He lived as a superstar. But for what? How has he bettered humanity, other than being a source of entertainment?

I know, I must sound a little overcritical. Don't get me wrong, I respect the man for the musician he was and as a human being. But do all those hit records and loaded bank accounts make him a better man than the average chum? Do those aforementioned things make him superior to Joe, who works all day to bring home money to support his family, loves his wife, teaches his children to be good people, is of service to his neighbors?

People were reported to be sobbing and laying flowers on Michael Jackson's star on Hollywood Blvd. Why do we not do the same for every poor soul in the obituary section of our newspaper?

Princess Diana and Mother Teresa died on the same day and yet there were more people persent at Princess D's funeral than at Mother Teresa's. Why? Princess Diana threw a lot of money at charities while Mother Teresa gathered people from the streets, raised children, sacrificed herself for her fellow man, wore herself out giving and giving until she could give no more and then somehow found more to give.

What makes life worth living? Achieving pleasure for yourself, making yourself happy, enjoying yourself? Sure, all those things are good and right, I won't deny that. But is that the ultimate end of life? Or is it achieving something greater, the knowledge that your life was given to better the human race?

Rest in peace, Jackson, Fawcett, McMahon.