Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was a name I had never heard in my life, probably because I was never a movie connoisseur. Ebert was a movie critic, and one of the best to ever grace the title. Towards the end of his life, Ebert was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, leaving him without his voice and full control of mouth. Ebert asked for NO pity, something I respect immensely, and hoped for his life to go on just as it did before. He wished to proceed critiquing movies, as that was what he always enjoyed most.

I admire Ebert for his ability to move past the awful things that happened in his life. Ebert could have given up, retired, and taken the thousands of pity interviews that any similar celebrity would receive. However, Ebert, chose not to make it a huge deal, he chose to move on with it and continue doing what he did best. His determination inadvertently inspired millions of people, including myself. Ebert's outlook on life has me awestruck, since it sums up thoughts very similar to my own in a very clear and concise manner. Kindness really is the most important value, I know I've said this in class at least a hundred times. All other values are a close second, but if the individual goals of everyone involved making others happy, we would be an overall happier population. Unhappiness is what prompts us to do selfish things. While we are happy, we have an easier time spreading the cheer. When we are unhappy, we don't prioritize others' happiness anymore. Ebert was right on the money by saying we should always strive to make others around us happy.

When faced with a personal tragedy, some may sink and some may swim. I think that it's all about the way you look at the situation, along with the people you are surrounded by. Of course, at first you will rely on your loved ones to help you out of your rough times. However, after a certain period of time, your loved ones have done as much as they can possibly do. They've given you the repaired wings to fly again, but it's your job to fly. This is the tough part, where you cannot depend on others anymore. The only way to swim through these tragedies is to look at the situation through an optimist's eyes. If there is a death in the family, don't think about how you've lost someone important you. Think about how they live on in your memory, and how much you loved them. Think about what you can do that would make them proud of you if they were still alive. This would truly allow you to move on, and also make you a better person.