It goes without saying that 2016 has been, when it comes to losses of prominent individuals, perhaps one of the worst years on record. From David Bowie to Debbie Reynolds, and everyone in between, I can't think of one person who hasn't been affected by the punches 2016 has pulled.
Loss hurts, and grief is perhaps the most personal of all human emotions. Nobody can tell you how to grieve, how long to grieve, or who you should grieve for. If someone touched your life, no matter how close or how far, when that person dies, you feel it. A little piece of you goes with them, your life is forever changed, and by default, that year becomes marred.
Like all of us, Bob Crane experienced loss throughout his life. During the 1940s, he watched family members and friends march off to war, some never to return. One of his most profound losses occurred in February 1976, when his father died suddenly. He was devastated, and 1976 became one of his worst years because of his father's death. Like all human beings, Bob experienced all human emotions, but one thing he was not was a depressed person. On the contrary, he was a positive person. He mourned his losses as anyone would, but he didn't let negativity weigh him down. He rose above it.
Personally, 2016 was a pretty amazing year for me, to the point where I actually feel a little guilty given the tragedy and heartache this year will always represent to the world. Yes, I, too, had my own times of turmoil, but I also had phenomenal author events and book signings. I got to see (and touch!) Hogan's bomber jacket. I made some terrific new friends. My family and friends are healthy and doing well. But best of all and most unexpectedly, I met an extraordinary person—someone who helps me to roll with the punches, jump over the valleys, distinguish between reality and what's just an illusion, and when I get frightened in all this darkness, concentrate instead on the light. My life is better and brighter simply because he's in it.
As 2016 draws to a close, let's try not to focus on the negativity this year forced upon us. Rather, stay positive and concentrate on the good it provided as well. Continue to celebrate the lives of those we lost—the famous and the not-so famous alike, this year and in years past—and honor them by embracing their legacies. Life is short. Live it well!
Happy New Year, and wishing you all the best in 2017!
Happy New Year, and wishing you all the best in 2017!
