I think sometimes about the individuals from our popular culture who have passed away too young, and what we have missed because of this. Granted, this may be a purely superficial exercise, because I never knew any of these people personally, and their deaths have impacted me far less than those of people close to me. But in a purely 'what if' sense I do wonder what might have come had they lived longer.

In no particular order are some well known individuals who, in my opinion, had much left to give us when they died.

Rod Serling. He was fifty when he died. Fifty. I'm almost fifty, and to think what he accomplished as a writer in his years, and what was surely to come...incredible.

Jim Croce. He never knew the full measure of his success, which largely followed his death in a plane crash at age 30.

Eva Cassidy. A immensely talented but almost unknown singer who died at age 33. Her beautiful renditions of classic songs became popular after her death.

John Denver. Died doing what he loved, flying. His career, after a fast rise in the 70's, slipped as he faced the music of more popular and contemporary acts. But who can listen to 'Rocky Mountain High' and not feel better? He was an unparalleled storyteller with song. And with the recent trend of 'vintage' performers finding a new audience, had he lived I am certain his music would have rekindled with his 'old' fans, and touched a whole lot of new ones.

John Candy. To make people laugh is a gift that few people truly possess. Anyone watching 'Planes, Trains & Automobiles' has to understand that John was truly gifted.

This is not an exhaustive list, obviously. Who would you add?