Guest Author - Carissa Vaughn

The whole world will be affected in some way by the death of our celebrities. We have watched them in our homes, sometimes every day. We have laughed, perhaps cried, yelled and had conversations about who we think they are.

For many, they become a part of the family.

Because of this fact, the familiarity with which many have surrounding the each person, we identify strongly with the loss of their lives. Such a shocking end as was met by Steve Irwin produces very strong emotions in our hearts BECAUSE of the fact that in his charisma, he became family. Bernie Mac, watched and laughed at..and with instilled the fruits of joy.

It is normal to feel sadness, disbelief, grief and anger. Some may feel such overwhelming sadness that they cannot think about anything else at the time. Some may feel such shock and outrage at their seemingly untimely death that they will convey their anger and look for outlets to express how they feel. Some will cry, and probably more than once. Some will feel a very profound loss in their personal life.

Keep in mind that these reactions are all normal. However, if the symptoms continue for more than a few days to even a couple of weeks it would be wise to let someone know how you are feeling. Talk to a counselor, spouse or friend to help you come to peace or manage your feelings better. The grieving time for someone unrelated, uninvolved or unaware of you (like a celebrity) is expected to be much shorter than if it is someone directly involved in your life.

Below are some suggestions that you may or may not use to help be an outlet, or an expression of how you feel at this time.
~Donate your time in an area that you believe would honor their memory
~Sponsor an animal at your local zoo in memory of Steve Irwin
~Post a memoir on your personal website or on a forum
~Make a donation
~Start a blog

My own condolences and sorrow are there for each family. Thank you for your enthusiasm of life and the joys you may have brought.