Roger Ebert's 'leave of presence'

Ebert & Boutte (Photo by Jon Hurd)

Shortly before his death, famed movie critic Roger Ebert took what he sagaciously called a "leave of presence."

According to Wikipedia, he would be undergoing radiation treatment for a cancerous hip.  He had fractured that hip only a few months earlier, and had suffered with various forms of cancer since

at least 2002.  This suffering was compounded by the side effects of some surgeries he had endured.

Nevertheless, he soldiered on with an amazingly upbeat outlook.  About this "leave of presence," from his usual duties, he commented: I'll be able at last to do what I've always fantasized about doing: reviewing only the movies I want to review.  Being somewhat incapacitated wasn't new to him at this point – he had been under the care of a "full-time, live-in" nurse since 2010.  Back then he had already stated:  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 was perfectly content before I was born, and I think of death as the same state.

As for that period of time between birth and death?   Ebert gave it a hearty "two thumbs up" with this explanation:  What I am grateful for is the gift of intelligence, and for life, love, wonder, and laughter.  He certainly had plenty of all that.  It's no wonder that he died with a smile on his face.

Ebert had been brought up as a Roman Catholic, but eventually described himself as a secular humanist.  Wikipedia lists the principal elements of this philosophical stance:  a need to test beliefs; a commitment to the scientific method; a concern with fulfillment and creativity for individuals and humanity at large; an emphasis on this life rather than on an afterlife; and justice for all.

Resources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Ebert

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_humanism

Copyright April 6, 2013 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved