Crikey!

It's already been a year since Steve Irwin's death. And it's still sad. Maybe you don't care. You may not like animals. You may have thought he was irritating, annoying, or slightly deranged. And I feel sorry for you. Sure, he was kooky. But he was one of the few who loved what he did, remained true to his principles, and came across as a genuine person. Too often, we make the mistake of assuming we know someone based on their public persona or their acting roles or how they're portrayed in magazines. We don't know what Steve was like at home. But here was a man who you genuinely believed was being himself. There was no guile, no deception. You could picture him catching snakes in his back yard and talking to the neighbors about how the blokes were toey with the sheilas. It's something missing from most television, and something that is devastating to lose. Not just for the animals, but for humans too. Steve showed us what people could and should be. Passionate, excited, productive, putting our energy to positive uses. How many of us would put ourselves in danger, would spend months alone in the wilderness, would live such a hard life in pursuit of our passions? It's hard to do even for little things. What about dedicating your entire existence to it?

Thank you, Steve. I never met you, but I feel like I've lost a friend. I hope I can follow your example and become someone that others will emulate and that in some way I can make them believe that there is something better out there.