One of the brightest minds never let life's challenges stop him!
Stephen Hawking considered one of the greatest minds of our century. And even though he is no longer with us – we lost him in March 2018 – his words and teachings are still worth their weight in gold. The physicist, mathematician and cosmologist was born on January 8, 1942 in Oxford, England. Even as a child, he was fascinated by mathematics, but when it was time to study, he was surprised by an insidious illness at the age of 21 - amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which almost completely paralyzed him. Doctors gave him two and a half years to live when he was diagnosed. And it is obvious that they were honestly mistaken, he lived to be 76 years old. Despite the loss of mobility and speech (he spoke with the help of a synthesizer), Hawking continued taught, researched and spread wonderful messages around the world. Since his diagnosis, he began to see life as a precious gift, and every aspect of his life was an added bonus.
He dedicated his life to finding answers about the universe, the big bang, creation and scientific theories. He could neither move nor speak, but he found a way to inspire the world and encourage us to seek the mysticism in the stars. Thus he said: "Don't forget to look at the stars and don't forget to look at your feet. Never give up work. Work gives you meaning and purpose, and life is empty without it. If you are lucky enough to find love, remember that you have it and never reject it.”
In one of his lectures at the Royal Institute in London, he compared a black hole to depression and explained that it is not impossible to escape from both a black hole and depression. “The message of this lesson is that black holes are not as black as they are painted. They are not eternal prisons. Things can come out of a black hole and possibly go to another universe. So if you feel like you're in a black hole, don't give up, there is a way out." he said.
When asked about his disability, he answered: "The victim has the right to end his life if he wants to. But I think that would be a big mistake. No matter how bad life seems, you can still do something and succeed. As long as there is life, there is hope.”
He continues with an inspiring message about disability: “If you're disabled, it's not your fault, but it's not good to blame the world and expect it to feel sorry for you. You have to have a positive attitude and make the best of the situation - if you are physically challenged, don't allow yourself to be mentally challenged as well. In my opinion, you should do things where your disability will not be an obstacle for you. I'm afraid the Paralympics aren't for me, but that's because I've never liked athletics. On the other hand, science is a very good field for a disabled person, because mainly everything takes place in our head, in our mind. Of course, most experimental work excludes such people, but theoretical work is therefore ideal.
My shortcomings were not a significant obstacle in my field, that is, in the field of theoretical physics. They actually helped me avoid lectures and administrative work that I would have otherwise done. But I succeeded only because of the great help I received from my wife, children, colleagues and students. I think people are generally willing to help, but you have to encourage them to start realizing that their efforts to help you are really useful!”
Stephen Hawking has inspired not only scientists but everyone else to notice that there is some connection between the stars and us. His disability did not stop his curiosity and wonder.
His daughter Lucy told the audience at the lecture: "He has a very enviable desire to continue working, to focus all his energy and his mindset on the goal of moving forward. But not only to continue to exist, but also to continue writing books, giving lectures and inspiring other people with neurodegenerative and other developmental disorders.”
To better understand the life of a genius, you can also watch a wonderful film about him The Theory of Everything (2014), where actor Eddie Redmayne won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking.
