Six years ago I wrote a piece for Gift Planning in Canada, a monthly newsletter for professional fundraisers who focus on legacies. That article was precipitated by the death of Robin Williams, another public figure who made a deep impact on society through his work. When Robin's death was announced, people felt it. His work meant something to people, and the grief was palpable.
Similarly, I vividly recall the death of Kurt Cobain, from my high school days. and the impact that had on some of my peers.
In the 2014 article, I explored why celebrity deaths can hit us so hard. At that time, I wrote that it was how that celebrity made us feel about ourselves, and our life situation; that it was the loss of that piece of ourselves that we grieved.
I still think that to be true.
But this year, I am also learning that it is about the loss of what is possible. The loss of what will not be. And I think that loss is the grief that is hitting us so hard, this year especially.
And although a 'news-worthy' death doesn't hit you personally hard, it may impact others around you in ways they aren't anticipating. To you, it could be "just another celeb", but to a peer, colleague, or customer, that same death could represent dear memories from their past, or some seed of hope for the future.
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