An Alabama and Oakland legend has passed away, leaving the world diminished in his absence. But, you have to think that when given the choice, Kenny Stabler would rather we celebrate his life with cheers rather than mourn his passing with tears.
The nature of life is that we create our own meaning.
Human beings are both cursed and blessed with the knowledge of our own mortality. For some, the awareness that time ticks by, leaving us another second away from The End, is simply too much: Life is too serious; the business of living becomes a chore as we grasp at the ephemeral to strangle as much experience and "living" out of each waking moment.