Stephen Hawking - Words to Live By
The 1% Chance explores themes of hope, wellness and discovery in the context of MND / ALS. This article is for informational purposes only and does not construe medical advice. The author is not a healthcare professional. Please consult a healthcare professional about your own healthcare needs.
Transcript:
Hi and welcome to The 1% Chance! My name is Graham Dargie - I was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2023 and this is a place to explore themes of hope and wellness in MND - also known as ALS.
I first came across Stephen Hawking when he took part in a poker game with Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein and Mr Data in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation in the 1990s. At the time, I had no idea I’d come to have much more in common with the renowned astrophysicist than just a love of Star Trek.
Hawking is, of course, remembered for his extraordinary intellect. I can only imagine the biochemical fireworks that must’ve gone off in his mind as he grappled with concepts like quantum mechanics, general relativity, and thermodynamics. It’s hard to fathom the depths of thought he must have reached and it makes me wonder if it’s a coincidence that one of the most powerful minds of our time also achieved incredible longevity in his battle with MND; the scientist lived with the disease for more than 50 years, after being diagnosed aged just 21.
While the fundamental nature of the universe might be outwith my comprehension, I wanted to explore what lessons his words and life might offer me when it comes to MND. Here are some quotes by Professor Hawking, and the lessons I’ve learned from them…
“Although I cannot move and I have to speak through a computer, in my mind I am free.”
To me, this speaks of acceptance and resilience. MND is gruelling - it takes and takes and takes, and I know if I focus on the losses, it will lead to suffering. Hawking acknowledges loss but pivots to capability - the power of his thoughts, imagination, creativity and sense of self - which remained intact. This reminds me that whatever happens, the opportunity to create a sanctuary of peace within myself remains.
“My expectations were reduced to zero when I was 21. Everything since then has been a bonus.”
Again, Hawking didn’t deny his reality, but he refused to be defined by it, and embraced each new day with gratitude.
“Work gives you meaning and purpose, and life is empty without it.”
Hawking had a purpose - scientific discovery and writing books to communicate his ideas. For me, living with purpose is essential in this chapter of my life - whether that’s by finding new ways to stay well, by sharing what I’m learning with others or simply by taking the bins out - purpose is enlivening and reminds me that I have a place in the world.
“Life would be tragic if it weren’t funny.”
Hawking embraced humour. He poked fun at himself and others, and understood that laughter can ease despair. I can take life too seriously at times, so I try to find moments of levity every day - especially through my daughter, who’s always giggling about something. This type of emotional nutrition is so important.
“However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don’t just give up.”
If you live with a chronic condition, you’re guaranteed to learn perseverance. It’s amazing that challenges we would have never signed-up for can produce the kind of growth we would never trade. One of my favourite scriptures has become “suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” - Romans 5:3–4
“People won’t have time for you if you are always angry or complaining.”
This speaks of Joy. One of the reasons I pursue hope and positivity so doggedly is because I fear sliding into depression, complaining and bitterness. Hawking reminds me that bitterness would be exhausting - not just for others, but also for me. He chose instead to be curious, open and occasionally mischievous, which must’ve made life easier for himself and for those around him.
“We are all different, but we share the same human spirit. Perhaps it’s human nature that we adapt and survive.”
Adapting is an ongoing process in MND. So far, I’ve had to learn new ways of doing lots of things. It can be frustrating, and you can easily think your world is getting smaller because of it. This quote teaches me that adapting isn’t losing - it’s a deeply human way to survive and thrive by drawing on our resources of tenacity and creativity. Redefining the way we live can be a triumph, if we can learn to look at it differently.
“Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet,”
As a cosmologist, Hawking must have looked up at the stars many times as a source of inspiration, wonder and awe. I’ve done this myself recently - stepping out of the house to see one of the brightest star-lit skies I can remember. Barefoot on the grass, gazing up at the countless pinpricks of light, I realised I was standing on a ball of rock, hurtling around a ball of fire on the outer edge of a galaxy of hundreds of billions of stars, amidst a universe of trillions of galaxies. Yet, here I am, with an opportunity to make a beautiful life, having experienced so much of what this amazing world has to offer and surrounded by people whom I love and who love me. This isn’t toxic positivity - it’s perspective. I don’t deny that this journey has been by far the hardest time of my life - but I try to keep in mind that life itself is a wonderful privilege. The chances of even being born are extraordinarily small. As Harvard mathematician Dr. Ali Binazir put it: “It’s like winning a lottery where the odds are one in a number bigger than all the atoms in the universe.” - Those are some long odds!
As a scientist, Stephen Hawking knew the power of asking questions. His remarkable example challenges me to ask a question - “how can I harness these qualities - acceptance, resilience, imagination, gratitude, purpose, humour, perseverance, joy, adaption, awe and perspective - in my quest to live well?”
I stand with you.
Thanks for listening. As always, this podcast is just me sharing what I’ve learned and what helps me. It’s not medical advice—please talk to your healthcare team for anything related to your care.