Thank Goodness Good People Die Every Day

I was reading an obituary last night.  I didn’t know the person, a friend posted it on Facebook.  Out of some vague sense of concern, I read it.

Turned out it was an former high school teacher of my friend’s.  There were several posts of praise for this teacher.  I found myself thinking:  “Its too bad that good people die every day.”  The thought came and went and I didn't think too much more of it.

A little later, that thought came back to me.  Apparently, it wasn't done with me yet.  I realized that in fact, it is not too bad that good people die every day, rather, it’s thank goodness that good people die every day.  That means that we have a lot of good people.  The more good people who die every day, the more that means that people have lived their fullest life, touched the most people and made the most of their time here with us.

I remember waking up the next morning to learn that Maya Angelou had died the previous day.

It’s not that they die, its that they lived.  Fully.  That’s why I’ll say “Thank goodness good people die every day.”