"All Creatures Great and Small....." ~Steve Irwin Loved Them All.
Today I found myself crying for a man I never knew.
Of course, we all knew Steve Irwin- Crocodile Hunter, fearless Wildlife Warrior, environmental conservationist, friend to animals, and all around good bloke. He thrilled us with his wild escapades, exuberance and zest for life. He warmed our hearts with his tenderness and love for his parents, and his dear wife Terri and children Bindi Sue and Bob. He taught us about the world we live in, and gave us a new appreciation for the creatures that inhabit it along with us.
He was invincible. He could wrestle a crocodile, wrangle a deadly cobra, pet a tarantula, and swim with the sharks. He always came out bearing a smile that lit his entire face, a mishcevious gleam in his eyes. He was mesmerizing.....the quintessential Peter Pan- the boy who would never grow up. And it was contagious.
And then the unthinkable. It seems so surreal. The news that Australia's son has found his rest. At first, a tragic headline on the evening news. Then, gaining momentum, it became a media frenzy. Analyzing every moment, speculation on what had gone wrong, had the moment been caught on videotape? Would it be released? Should it be released?
I found myself mourning Steve, my heart aching for a life cut short so abruptly. I detested the media coverage, which seemed to cheapen the moment into a tabloid headline. I felt my heart go out to Terri, and the children, and wondered how she felt about the overwhelming attention her husband's death had received. Did she gain strength from the outpouring of support and worldwide grief? A flash of perspective flew through my mind. She had to share her grief with a million strangers who claimed to know her husband, but what did they know? Really, what did WE know? She was the one who had lost her soulmate, her friend, her lover, the father of her children. She was the one who would replay treasured intimate moments over and over and ask herself "Why?". Anger rose in me on her behalf. How dare all these people claim a share of her grief? She was the one who had to tell her children. She was the one who would have to go on without him.
All we had to do was turn off the t.v. and hug our loved ones, shed a few tears, and then go on with our lives.
And yet conflicted, I still mourn. I sway between anger and frustration, guilt and sadness. The world knew Steve Irwin- Crocodile Hunter, but a choice few knew Steve Irwin- the man. I unfortunately was not one of the few, but one of the many.
I made a concious decision to not watch the news channels, entertainment shows, and t.v. tabloids. I don't want to see any more. I want to remember him as he was.
His legacy to me will not be one of tragedy, but of a life well lived.
"All creatures great and small...." ~Steve Iriwn loved them all.
(February 22, 1962- September 2, 2006)
Of course, we all knew Steve Irwin- Crocodile Hunter, fearless Wildlife Warrior, environmental conservationist, friend to animals, and all around good bloke. He thrilled us with his wild escapades, exuberance and zest for life. He warmed our hearts with his tenderness and love for his parents, and his dear wife Terri and children Bindi Sue and Bob. He taught us about the world we live in, and gave us a new appreciation for the creatures that inhabit it along with us.
He was invincible. He could wrestle a crocodile, wrangle a deadly cobra, pet a tarantula, and swim with the sharks. He always came out bearing a smile that lit his entire face, a mishcevious gleam in his eyes. He was mesmerizing.....the quintessential Peter Pan- the boy who would never grow up. And it was contagious.
And then the unthinkable. It seems so surreal. The news that Australia's son has found his rest. At first, a tragic headline on the evening news. Then, gaining momentum, it became a media frenzy. Analyzing every moment, speculation on what had gone wrong, had the moment been caught on videotape? Would it be released? Should it be released?
I found myself mourning Steve, my heart aching for a life cut short so abruptly. I detested the media coverage, which seemed to cheapen the moment into a tabloid headline. I felt my heart go out to Terri, and the children, and wondered how she felt about the overwhelming attention her husband's death had received. Did she gain strength from the outpouring of support and worldwide grief? A flash of perspective flew through my mind. She had to share her grief with a million strangers who claimed to know her husband, but what did they know? Really, what did WE know? She was the one who had lost her soulmate, her friend, her lover, the father of her children. She was the one who would replay treasured intimate moments over and over and ask herself "Why?". Anger rose in me on her behalf. How dare all these people claim a share of her grief? She was the one who had to tell her children. She was the one who would have to go on without him.
All we had to do was turn off the t.v. and hug our loved ones, shed a few tears, and then go on with our lives.
And yet conflicted, I still mourn. I sway between anger and frustration, guilt and sadness. The world knew Steve Irwin- Crocodile Hunter, but a choice few knew Steve Irwin- the man. I unfortunately was not one of the few, but one of the many.
I made a concious decision to not watch the news channels, entertainment shows, and t.v. tabloids. I don't want to see any more. I want to remember him as he was.
His legacy to me will not be one of tragedy, but of a life well lived.
"All creatures great and small...." ~Steve Iriwn loved them all.
(February 22, 1962- September 2, 2006)
posted by sandboxtoy at 8:58 PM
1 Comments:
"A life lived in fear is a life half lived."
Ok, so it's a line from a movie, but it's the truth. And Steve Irwin wasn't afraid of anything. He respected everything, therein lies the difference.
Mourn the loss, my dear friend. As a human you have the right. The fact that you realize who you are in the grand scheme of things, that you have that much respect and compassion for Terri Irwin and her family, is what separates you from the rest. The media will no doubt chew this like a piece of gum until all the flavour's gone and it's stale and chalky in the mouth. They will move onto the next tidbit of gossip, and you will still have mourned and remembered a great man with dignity.
That's all that matters.
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