Why do bad things happen? Because they do.

[Wyrd of Gawd]

Didn't know where to put this, but I put it here because it is personal but does relate to the nature of reality.

Just got some bad news last night that a long time friend who had a stroke last year just had another. We thought he was doing better, so much so they moved him out of a hospital into a long term care place. There is no god punishing him or me, this is simply what happens to alot of old people. 

Others here can tell the theists, we really don't want you talking about your fictional sky hero when we are going through things like this. I don't think you realize even if you think you are trying to be nice, the response in our head is either "bullshit" or "shut the fuck up".

But when it is the theist's loved one we remain silent and listen to you talk about god. But when we are the ones going through it we are still expected not to express our positions. 

This guy may not have much time left while we do still hope he could recover somewhat. I can tell you he is the sweetest guy I have ever met, and gave me the courage to feel comfortable in my own skin. We talked almost every single day for the past 15 years and got me through some rough times when it came to my mother's health issues. I am no scientific expert in the least, but he also lead me to lots skeptics and general understanding of some science I didn't have prior.

The comfort I have in all this is feeling lucky to have met and knowing him. So why does such a bad thing happen to such a good person? Because reality isn't magic or a utopia, and something always gets us at some point. Now is all we have.

The bad news is that there's no really good way to die.  Personally I think a quick death is better than a long drawn out dying process.  I've known a lot of people who had serious medical conditions but were saved from dying by various treatments.  Then they lingered in a debilitated state suffering every day until they finally reached the point of no return.  I think that's a bad experience.