Mourning the Loses of our Memories

How do we pay tribute to someone who was so much a part of our lives but that we didn't even know? I am struggling with this yet again after the third American icon passes away in the past week. Ed McMahon, who entered our living rooms every Saturday night with Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show. Farrah Fawcett whose poster adorned the walls of every guy we knew, weren't we girls tired of looking at that poster? It was everywhere! And then of course the amazing Michael Jackson. I guess I am totally revealing my age because there are so many young people who had absolutely no effect whatsoever by these three American Icons. I am struggling with how to mourn the loss. Why do I feel such grief and sadness? This is ridiculous, I didn't ever come remotely close to meeting Michael Jackson. This is the power of celebrity. They are embedded in our memories from so many life events that come rushing back to us when we hear a song or a video or watch a rerun or a movie. Their lives braid themselves into our lives, into memories of proms, of Saturday night dates. Of dances and graduations. Of first dates and last dates. Of life's milestone, accomplishments and failures. They were imperfect souls, as are we, but they were amazingly talented superstars... bazaar lifestyles and faults aside, sensational news stories behind us. We need to make sure we allow ourselves the time we deserve to mourn a memory and a portion of our lives as we lose these icons too soon. While doing this we also need to cherish those that we do have close to us, that we have deep friendships and familial bonds with. We need to remember to tell them often how much they mean to us, how they've impacted our lives and how we cherish the memories we share. Life is fleeting and this we are reminded of each day.