Tag: death

Roger Ebert Cancer Battle – Roger Ebert Interview – Esquire

Roger Ebert Cancer Battle – Roger Ebert Interview – Esquire

“I know it is coming, and I do not fear it, because I believe there is nothing on the other side of death to fear. I hope to be spared as much pain as possible on the approach path. I was perfectly content before I was born, and I think of death as the same state. What I am grateful for is the gift of intelligence, and for life, love, wonder, and laughter. You can’t say it wasn’t interesting. My lifetime’s memories are what I have brought home from the trip. I will require them for eternity no more than that little souvenir of the Eiffel Tower I brought home from Paris.

I believe that if, at the end of it all, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do. To make others less happy is a crime. To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts. We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health, our circumstances. We must try. I didn’t always know this, and am happy I lived long enough to find it out.”

Three Years Ago

I lost my dad three ago today. I can’t believe it’s already been three years. I just went back a read over a blog I posted the day that he died. I kept a pretty detailed account of the last two weeks I was home taking care of him with the rest of my family. I still can’t believe he’s really gone. It’s quite literally unbelievable. I draw so much inspiration from him on a daily basis. His voice is always in the back of my head. There are things like checking the clock and noticing it’s 9:11 (his birthday was on September 11) that make me think maybe there is something to life after death. I don’t know if it’s exists and I can’t prove anything. I’m aware that the mind is powerful and can play tricks on us. But that small glimmer, however silly, reminds me all the time that our loved ones are everywhere. It doesn’t matter if they’re alive or dead, they continue to live through us in so many ways. There is something to be said for knowing someone so well that you can give yourself advice from them. Of course it’s never as good as hearing his words, but I can almost hear them in my head. I’m so afraid of losing that. My greatest fear is not of dying, but forgetting him.