The document argues that while 2016 had some notable celebrity deaths and political upheaval, it was not truly the "worst year ever." First, the Battle of the Somme in 1916 saw over 1 million casualties, far surpassing anything from 2016. Second, most celebrities who died were of reasonable age or had health issues, and what people truly mourn is their own past associated with those celebrities. Third, while 2016 saw political upsets like Brexit and the US election, the long-term impacts remain uncertain and changes can potentially have upsides as well as downsides. The document encourages maintaining hope and perspective going into 2017.

1. Here’s hoping for 2017
There was a growing chorus over the past twelve
months bemoaning 2016 as the ‘worst’ year as the
celebrity deaths and political upheavals have stacked
up. It has certainly been a year full of important events
and some important international figures have certainly
died but the WORST year ever?
Perhaps it’s worth looking at things with a sense of
perspective. Firstly, 2016 marked the one hundredth
anniversary of the Battle of the Somme between July
and November 1916. Over 1,000,000 men died on the
Somme. Nothing, absolutely nothing, from 2016
compares with this senseless and wholesale loss but
pictures of life in Syria, Iraq, Somalia and many other
places show us that whole countries remain in the grip
of war and, for those people, 2016 will have been
horrific. However, those claiming 2016 as the worst
year almost certainly weren’t directly affected by war.
Secondly, although a number of celebrities died, most
of them were a reasonable (if not extreme) age, had
long-term medical issues or, in some cases, had led
pretty hedonistic lifestyles at some point. That is not to
say that they deserved to die or that we can’t be sad
they did, but we need to be realistic about how long
celebrities are supposed to live. Of course what we are
really mourning isn’t people we don’t know personally,
but our own past which was bound up in the music,
films or sport that the celebrities represent. Those who
have genuinely had a hard time with bereavement in
2016 are those who lost close friends or family and it is
a little insulting to them to suggest that the loss of a
pop star whose poster we had on our teenage walls
compares.
Thirdly, 2016 was certainly a year for some significant
political upsets. Brexit, the US presidential elections,
terrorist attacks…there is a feeling of a roller-coaster
ride that no one can get off and there has been much
wringing of hands and fears for the worst. 2017 looks
uncertain because the results and long-term impact of
these changes have yet to take effect but just as there
are many potential downsides there are also many
potential upsides and in a free country, we all get to
influence the political future.
As anyone involved in the funeral industry knows,
nothing is predictable, nothing is easy but there is
always HOPE and so we wish you a successful and
peaceful 2017.
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