Creativity and Heath Ledger

No, I didn't shoot him. But, unfortunately, he is dead. And he fits in with the sadness I carry for many of the musicians in my book -- he left way too soon. Right when he was on the cusp of greatness. His performance in The Dark Knight was the most (maybe the only) entertaining part of the movie.

Why do so many creative and talented people check out so young? Can anyone give me a definitive answer to that question?

Maybe it's that feeling of immortality we seem to carry with us through our youth. But if that were the case none of us would survive past the age of 30.

Maybe there's something to the idea that creative types are sensitive, angst-ridden and too insecure to survive in this oh-so-cruel world. But I'm pretty sure there are lots of sensitive, angst-ridden and too insecure to survive creative types walking this planet well into their old age.

Am I still alive because I am not the creative person I think I am? Or am I a creative person that managed to allude Mr. Death during those formative years when I was hanging with the crazy rock'n'rollers? Hopefully, it's the second one 'cause if I'm deemed to be uncreative that would probably be the death of me right there.

I don't know why I think about this death thing so much. But I do. It's one of the things that can keep me awake at night, along with what is the Univierse, how did we get here, why are we here... It's really hard to imagine not being here. Maybe not so hard to imagine but it really freaks me out when I think about it.

Wow, maybe the question should be why am I pushing this doom and gloom on you? Especially on a Friday night? The start of what I'm sure you were hoping would be a great weekend.

My apologies. I'm stopping now.

Hopefully these words from the late great Oscar® winning Heath Ledger (sent to my daughter by the infamous Cucumber Rob right before she had to undergo brain surgery) will shine a light on your weekend and beyond...

Keep smiling!