People die all the time. It’s always sad, often tragic, just occasionally a release for everyone concerned, even the deceased. But when a parent loses a child, it’s beyond sad and tragic. It’s just not the way things are supposed to be.
It happened again today. Someone we know from holidays in Corfu, a lovely, happy smiling lad, jumping in the swimming pool, hustling at the pool table, probably having the odd pint. People who knew him, even those of us who only saw him once a year, have been walking round in shock since we heard the news earlier today.
I don’t even know how old he was, but he can’t have been more than 20. I don’t know what caused his death but it looks like natural causes, whatever that means. I can only hope he didn’t feel a thing and thought he was going to sleep.
I should be used to this by now. I am far from young these days and well acquainted with my own mortality. If it all ended for me tomorrow – and who knows what tomorrow may bring? – those who remain could say that I had a good run at things. Somehow I survived a lifetime of work and and the scrapes and bumps that life brings along from time to time. I am not ready to check out of this life just yet, but it would be far fairer than if someone young were to pass away having seen next to nothing of life.
I referred to my own mortality because mortality is a reality. And the more tragedies and life injustices I see, the more I am reminded that this is not a trial run. I have never believed in some grand design or fate because we are only here by the accident of our own birth and by the fact that we have avoided accidents of another kind along the way.
I can’t write too much more. I’m shocked and stunned, so imagine how the family and friends are feeling? No one should ever outlive their children and if ever there was an illustration that life was not fair, this was it.
