Entertainers gone too soon

By Stan Ashbee
Sunny South News

This past year we lost many celebrities, as 2016 seemed to extinguish the flames of many entertainers much too soon.
If you were born in the 1970s, you pretty much grew up with many of the stars who said farewell this past year.
Alan Thicke, George Michael, David Bowie, Florence Henderson, Prince, Alan Rickman, Glenn Frey, Gordie Howe, Muhammad Ali, Kenny Baker, Gene Wilder, Leonard Cohen, Carrie Fisher, and many others.
Of course, Thicke starred as Jason Seaver in the TV hit “Growing Pains.” Thicke also made an appearance on the new season of “Fuller House” on Netflix. George Michael was of course part of of the pop duo Wham and had a highly successful solo career. David Bowie was David Bowie. Florence Henderson was mom extraordinare Carol Brady on “The Brady Bunch.” Prince was Prince or the Artist Formerly Known as Prince. Rickman was an integral role in the “Harry Potter” franchise and was the ultimate villain in the first “Die Hard” flick. Glenn Frey was one of the founding members of The Eagles. Howe and Ali were sport greats. Baker was one of the “Star Wars” universe’s greatest characters R2-D2. Wilder was the original Willy Wonka. Leonard Cohen was Leonard Cohen — one of Canada’s great singer/songwriters and Carrie Fisher was Princess Leia.
It’s tough when your generation, so to speak, of celebs start to pass away. I remember when stars of my mom and dad’s generation passed away and they would talk about it. It does make you start to feel old and start to re-evaluate your own life that’s for sure and question your very own mortality. When someone close to you passes away it also makes you think about your own life and how you can make it better before it’s too late.
It’s not like it used to be, when people lived longer. Today, it seems like life expectancy is cut short. Many people don’t seem to live to their 80s or 90s anymore. Many seem to pass away before retirement age.
Is it stress, life choices, and bad diets? It is no doubt a combination of it all and it is frightening for a person born in the 1970s and turning 50 in a few years. Life is short and one needs to live life to its fullest if at all possible. Less stress is a must, but that is certainly easier said than done in today’s hectic lifestyle we have all become accustomed to. And for what? To die young and not even leave a good looking corpse?
It is a time to reassess one’s existence and station in life. Could it be better? It probably could. Could you do more to perhaps maybe prolong your life? Probably. But, it does take time, effort and a strong will.
Hopefully, the dead pool doesn’t get any deeper moving into 2017. 2016 was nuts with celebrity deaths. In the meantime, cherish the ones you love and take time to smell the roses.
Life is waiting for you — so, live it. To its fullest.