Stories demonstrate how fragile life is

A couple of newspaper stories published in the neighboring Valley Falls Vindicator in two of its recent weekly editions about a Jefferson County resident caused me – and probable countless others - to pause and reflect on life.

A front page story in The Vindicator recently featured local resident, Gary D. Kirkwood, 69, of Meriden, a U.S. Army veteran during the Korean War, as he was preparing to take an upcoming “Honor Flight’’ to Washington, D.C. with other vets from the northeast Kansas area.

A nice photo of Mr. Kirkwood accompanied the feature story and it is always nice to read about our area veterans.

Not long after that nice feature story about Mr. Kirkwood was published, however – maybe it was the very next edition of The Vindicator – the same photo of Mr. Kirkwood was published in the newspaper at a smaller size, accompanying his obituary.

As it was reported, Mr. Kirkwood was killed in an early morning rollover crash in Jefferson County on April 12 after he lost control of his pickup and slid off the road, rolling and striking a utility pole.

Of course, it was very sad to read this, especially after just reading the nice story about Mr. Kirkwood a week or so earlier. 

As we are reminded over and over throughout our lifetime, in scripture and example, tomorrow is guaranteed for no man, best to make the most of today!

And as my sister, Patty, used to say – “Don’t sweat the small stuff.’’