Last week surprised the world the departure of Stephen Hawking, we all knew that it would happen at any time for his health. As he himself said, "my expectations were reduced to zero when I was 21 years old. Everything since then has been an extra. Although he could not move and have to speak through a computer, in his mind he was free, he did not imagine that extra and God allowed him to live until he was 76 years old.
His knowledge and teaching remained in history and his contribution to humanity we palpable with his theories about the functioning of the universe and the answers to the concerns about what surrounds us.
Humor was a striking feature in the British scientist, and in my view was a kind of board in which surfed the waves of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis that was diagnosed when he was just 21 years old and that was aggravated by the move from time to practically paralyzed.
He was not afraid to mock himself and his disability; Without the humor it is possible that Hawking had not had the success he had, he used it as a vehicle for his teachings to transcend scientific channels.
The actor Eddie Redmayne who played Stephen in the movie "The theory of everything", after hearing the news of his death wrote on his twitter "we have lost a beautiful mind, an amazing scientist and the funniest man I've ever had the pleasure of knowing in all my life ".
They say that in one of his visits to Spain, he walked down the Ramblas and saw one of his books displayed in a kiosk next to pornographic magazines, far from becoming indignant or angry, Hawking said with great grace "It was rewarding, because it shows that Science can be as popular as sex. "
The example of overcoming barriers was given daily and in any scenario. Stephen played himself in the Simpsons, recorded each and every one of his dialogues and attended the readings of the script; He also did it for the episodes in Futurama and Family Guy.
He was a reference of pop culture, television series, programs, films about his life, documentaries and video games.
Those of us who had the opportunity to see the film "The theory of everything", a film about the life and work of Hawking, identify ourselves with the character, suffer from his ailments; but we also witnessed how accepting the vicissitudes can be overcome by breaking the barriers and believing that if you can live, create and change the world from the hardest condition that touches everyone to live, but without a doubt, humor is a fundamental part in that effort.
Among the famous quotes of the British physicist, considered the most brilliant mind after Albert Einstein, with which I stumbled when I was investigating to write this article and that I think comes as a glove to Venezuelans is the following:
"Black holes are not the eternal prisons that were thought to be. From a black hole you can get things out and, possibly, into another universe. So if you feel you are in a black hole, do not give up; There is an exit. "
This week I decided to write about Stephen Hawkinq and his contribution to humanity, and not about Venezuelan politics and the analysis that I develop week after week in this column. I am sure of something, Venezuelans have a natural humor that we should not lose at any time.