Keeping life in perspective

By Staff
Kim West
When I heard actor Heath Ledger had died Tuesday, I thought it was sad that he was only 28 years old and that he left behind a young daughter.
One of my favorite movies in high school was the Shakespearean spinooff "10 Things I Hate About You," which he starred in. And I've always enjoyed his Australian accent and a unique approach to movie roles.
Tragic news like this reminds me that no one is guaranteed extra time in life, no matter how much success, fame and money he or she has.
For a story last year I spent an afternoon interviewing friends and family of a recent high school graduate who had died in a car accident. One person I talked to mentioned that her class managed to graduate without losing any students from elementary school through high school. That comment instantly brought back memories of my high school years, because my school seemed to lose a student or teacher every year I was there, and even for a few years after my class graduated.
There are days when I completely forget about friends and classmates who have passed away, and then there are days when I'm constantly reminded of the people who I went to school with that are no longer here, including my drama teacher Mrs. Looney, my classmate and first boyfriend, Luke, who sat with me on the tech school bus, and my teammate Nancy, who was one of the funniest girls on the high school basketball team. All three of them died in car accidents and left behind many grieving friends and family members.
My older sister and I have talked about whether or not the tragic things that happen in life are simply an effect of our daily lives (i.e. driving too fast), or if all of these deaths serve a greater purpose.
It might just be a coping mechanism, but I believe tragedies have a way of reminding people to cherish what they already have. I know I'm constantly forgetting how lucky I am to be relatively healthy and to have a job I love and supportive friends and family.
The Greek playwright Euripedes wrote, "No one can confidently say that he will still be living tomorrow." Since we're all on a time limit, why not enjoy each day as if it's our last one?