The news was a bit of a shock this morning. Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, died from a sting ray barb to the heart yesterday while filming a documentary off the Great Barrier Reef.
I have to admit, this makes me more than a little sad. I’ve always admired this guy. He seemed like such a goof, but he really lived an amazing life. He was a man who knew what he wanted to do and he went out and did it. How many of us can say that?
It’s tragic that he died so young. Some might say he had it coming because of all the dangerous things he did – catching crocodiles, working with poisonous snakes, etc. But keep in mind anyone could die at any time. Is it really so bad that he died doing what he loved doing best? True, he left behind a wife and two small children, but this man could just as easily been hit by a bus yesterday as he could have been killed by a sting ray barb.
Everybody dies, but not everybody truly lives. I can’t remember who said that, but I do think Steve Irwin is one of the folks who grabbed life by the balls and lived it to its fullest. I’m sorry for his wife and kids, but I’m certain they have no regrets for him, just as I’m certain they’ll carry on by living their lives with the same kind of gusto Steve had. I wish we could all live our lives that way.
Here’s some artwork from this weekend. It’s another work in progress, and I’ll post the finished piece when it’s done. The character is inspired by a fairy tale about seven brothers who were transformed into swans by their wicked step-mother. Their sister changed them back by weaving each brother a coat out of nettles, but the coat for the youngest lacked a sleeve, so he was left with one wing in place of an arm.
The Swan Prince, WIP – 03 Sep 2006
