On November 12, 2018, we lost a legend. The amazingly talented Stan Lee passed away at the age of 95. He will forever be remembered by all as the co-creator of kick-butt comics such as Spiderman, Fantastic Four, The Hulk, X-Men and many others. I will remember him as someone who taught me to always treat others with respect regardless of the color of their skin, their religion or their gender. He taught me that ordinary people can be just as special as superheroes. This mindset has shaped my outlook on life and made me the person I am today.
For this article, I wanted to share some of my favorite quotes by this fantastic man and a brief statement of what they mean to me.
1. "I wanted them to be diverse. The whole underlying principle of the X-Men was to try to be an anti-bigotry story to show there's good in every person."
Anyone that supports diversity in this world is aces in my book. Also, wanting to show that everyone has some good in them is such a wonderful concept.
2. "Life is never complete without its challenges."
Every person in the world experiences challenges in their life and the first step to overcoming challenges is to accept they exist.
3. "I used to be embarrassed because I was just a comic-book writer while other people were building bridges or going on to medical careers. And then I began to realize: entertainment is one of the most important things in people's lives. Without it, they might off the deep end. I feel that if you're able to entertain people, you're doing a good thing."
I very much agree with this quote. There have been times in my life, and I'm sure the same goes for others, that watching a favorite movie or TV show has helped me to deal with something going on in my life. Entertainment can come from all sorts of sources, and these sources can bring such joy to people's lives. Stan gave us so many sources for joy.
4. "You know, my motto is 'Excelsior.' That's an old word that means 'upward and onward to greater glory.' It's on the seal of the state of New York. Keep moving forward, and if it's time to go, it's time. Nothing lasts forever."
This is a great philosophy to have in life in general. It's best to keep moving forward always and never to hold on to anything too tightly. Nothing is permanent in this world and Mr. Lee knew that.
5. "Another definition of a hero is someone who is concerned about other people's well being and will go out of his or her way to help them - even if there is no chance of award. That person who helps others simply because it should or must be done, and because it is the right thing to do, is indeed without a doubt, a real superhero."
If the world thought this way, the world would definitely be a better place. Any person can be a hero, and I think Stan Lee did his best to show this through his work. Most of the heroes he created were everyday people. I try to live my life following this quote and doing nice things for people just for the sake of doing them.
I don't think Stan Lee even knew how much of an impact he had on so many people's lives. I never got the chance to meet him, but from people I know that did, they said that he was very humble about his genius and didn't believe he deserved all the attention he got. He was a wonderful person, and I am for sure going to miss him.
Excelsior, Mr. Lee!
