The Beloved Dead

The Beloved. We do like our heroes to suffer. And then to overcome obstacles and challenges against all odds. Sometimes they don't actually overcome until they transform. How do they transform? They die. They transform when they drop their bodies, shuffle off their mortal coil. We especially celebrate and treasure those who die tragically; young, in the fullness of life. Those are special ones we truly deify. We like our heroes to be dead. And gone. I guess it's safer that way. Less dangerous. Less messy. Life is always messy. Being alive in the day to day flow, making choices, making mistakes, making enemies, doing the hard work, challenging people, failing; all that changes when death comes. That's when the legend grows, the myth begins. The messy part of living is over. Then we are left with the words, the speeches, the music, the images, the symbols. Think: Jesus, Lennon, MLK Jr, RFK, JFK, Gandhi, Elvis (ok, in Elvis' case we have a bloated, fat, and drug addicted hero, but, you know, we always think of the young Sun Records era Elvis first). It's a sad, noble, tragic, inspiring & safe pantheon. The Beloved Dead.