If life is too short, then death comes to quick. And in the case of Sean Taylor, the vaunted hard hitting pro bowler for the Redskins who was shot and killed just a few days ago, life can end suddenly. But that’s not what this post is about. I’m not trying to make sense out of something that has no merit, rhyme or reason just yet. I’m just soaking in the details, trying not to get swept away in how sad this is.

Growing up, I remember watching Taylor blossom at the University of Miami. He was a very talented, and fast athlete who became an All American. He was drafted 5th in the NFL Draft by the Redskins just four years ago, and now… he’s gone.

It came so fast. Checkered past or not. It happened in a flash. In the blink of an eye one of our mighty sports heroes was in critical condition. Hours later has was dead.

This story isn’t about race. It isn’t about any inside information I can lend to the story. It’s about being human. It’s about letting this stuff “truly” sink in.

It doesn’t matter if you’re from the East Side, West Side, South Side, or the richest city in the richest neighborhood in the country. Whether Taylor hung out with the wrong crowd is something we will find out in the coming weeks and months. What he did wrong is something that may come out (if he did do something wrong that is).

It’s stories like these though, that hit me to the core. How fragile life is.

Sean Taylor was the big hard hitting imposing safety who got fined repeatedly for vicious hits on the opposition. He was one of those guys who put fear into your hearts. And now, he’s just another statistic, soon to fade from front page news, to back page news, all the way off the sports and national spectrum.

It’s sad. It tears at my heart like you couldn’t imagine.

Not because he was a friend of mine, or because I knew him (I didn’t), just because it was this superhero of an athlete, this big statuesque demon on the football field, going down with one shot to his leg.

People are trying to make sense of all this. Don’t. Not yet at least. Wait until the details come out. Wait until there’s facts to piece together.

Because Taylor is gone, just like that, and we all want answers.

Some people don’t care. Some really care. For me, it just continues to show how special life is.

In yet another lesson about life, this is yet another reason why we need to live life to the fullest. Live like every day could be our last. Because, whether you hang out with people who own guns, or people who spin pennies, anything can happen in this crazy, beautiful, screwed up world.

Taylor’s death isn’t another examination into life in the hood. It’s a story. Of a human being trying to right a lot of wrongs, and never getting the full opportunity to do so.

It’s about a man who had enough money to do almost whatever he wanted. But money doesn’t always buy happiness. And all the protection in the world doesn’t guarantee your life is untouchable.

Just another human being like you and me, only stronger, quicker, and in the public eye, Taylor leaves behind a girlfriend and one year old daughter. And they haven’t spoken (nor should they be obligated to any time soon), but I can assure you, they are crushed.

Sean Taylor the football player, no wait, make that the human being, is gone. Just like that.

Black, white, green, orange, death only comes in one form.

Terrible.

So stop the debate for a minute. Drop the whole, rich spoiled athlete routine. Forget race for a minute. Mourn for someone who lost their life too soon. Mourn for all those that have their lives taken away from them when they have the chance to be great. Whether you liked him or not, Taylor was still a human being.

And for me, the story is gut wrenching.

Life is too short. Enjoy it while you can.