Dear reader, there are few absolutes in life. Certainly we are born, live our lives and eventually die. In between birth and death, we do things like grow up, form relationships, work and pay taxes, breed and watch our children grow up and live their lives.

All of this, of course, happens in an ideal world. Unfortunately, we live in reality where the only real absolutes are being born and dying. What happens in between these two events is left up to genetics and fate and sometimes neither of these situations works out to be a good deal.

Generally, when someone dies they have had a pretty full life. They are adults who have lived long enough to have enjoyed a life full of experiences that we would look at as normal - the simple things like dating, courting, marrying, having children and getting grandkids. These are the big events in the average persons life. Of course, there are those who walk a different path and achieve their greatness through sporting, political or artistic achievements.

I am always saddened when I hear that a  young person has died. I am 46 years old. If I were to die tomorrow, people would be sad, but at least they would know that I achieved something in the time I was alive. It may be insignificant, but at least I would have had the opportunity to gain some life experience. I would hope that my friends would be sad for a couple of weeks but then get on with their lives.

I have one strong belief in my life - no parent should outlive their child - ever.

I think that there are a lot of people in mourning at the moment over the passing of Matthew Barclay, a 14 year old boy in Queensland a couple of days ago. People who didn't even know Matthew, but are parents themselves, understand the pain that this boys family is going through. I'm not a parent and I am saddened by it myself.

The reason that I am saddened by this meaningless death is because Matthew was only 14. Unless he was an exceptional teen, he had little opportunity to gain any life experience beyond being a child. There is no way of knowing what his life would become. Whether it be a sporting star or some kind of academic, the potential that was locked inside of him is gone. This really does go for any young person who dies prematurely. Whatever potential they have is lost.

Words and hollow platitudes will never fully give closure to Matthew Barclays family, but they will always have those 14 years to look back on and remember him. They may take some small comfort in the fact that he died doing something that he loved but their lives are now changed forever. As for the rest of us, well we will probably forget about Matthew in a week as more important things happen in our lives.

I have many friends who have children at various ages. My message to them is to love them more every day, listen to what they have to say, accept that they may not live up to your expectations or plans for their futures and to love them unconditionally. They will always be your little boys or girls.

Later days.

Trivial fact number 220:- Blackbird, who was the chief of Omaha Indians, was buried sitting on his favourite horse.