Like many of you, I was surprised and saddened to hear about Alan Rickman's untimely death at 69 years of age this week. However, truth be told he was looking poorly, and so I wager if we knew more we might be less surprised by this news. I never really expected to mourn a celebrity again (not since Andre the Giant died), but I realized just this past week just what an exemplar he is for us. Here are some of the lessons:
Success can begin at any age.
Rickman starred in his first movie role at the age of 42. Until then, I doubt he was very wealthy or successful given his previous employ. Despite the actual role, as a minor villain in the first Die Hard installment, he won critical acclaim and went on to play many villains very well. He was also very good as Marvin in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, because he had a very memorable and powerful voice. I would pick him to be my AI in lieu of that annoying woman used in smartphones.
Stick with your passions.
Rickman was a Shakespearean actor for many years. He loved acting. He loved what he did. He worked very hard, knowing the final plot of Harry Potter, to be a character worthy of veneration, shrouded in mystery, and convincing in the role up to the end. As Snape, his character stayed true to love until the end, and he was a family man until the very end. Last year, I think, he posted about reading Harry Potter when he was 80, and he seemed to really love his grandchildren. I feel sorry for them that they lost a good man.
Build something worth remembering.
Rickman told a reporter that he wanted to be able to look his grandchildren in the eye when they asked him about his role as Snape and reinforce the lessons of that character in terms of loyalty, fidelity, trust, and redemption. Most of his early roles were as villains, but he found a way to leave a different message on the final screen of the movie of his life in this character, which was his last major role.
Life is short but sweet
Most people think they will live forever until they are old, and most of Rickman's contemporaries will outlive him by decades. I hope he lived well. I enjoyed him in every role I ever saw, and I will miss him more than many other eulogized actors. He was worthy of the Bard.
Don't assume you know everything based on the information available.
In his most beloved role, Rickman's character reveals only in the final moments of his life the truth behind his motivations, his actions, and his personae. After all that time, he really was trying to save Harry- from Voldemort, from Dumbledore's sacrifice, from his parents' mistakes, and from mediocrity. He really wants him to be better, and so he doesn't give him an inch. I had professors like this in college who were tough but fair because they wanted us to rise to the challenge and be smarter than they were so that we could answer questions they couldn't and handle stresses they didn't know.
As a chemistry professor, I sometimes feel a kinship with our dearly departed "potions master". I am hoping with my life, in my classroom, on this blog, in my family, and in my congregation, to leave something worth remembering. I do not know how long I will live. I presume, since my grandparents all lived to be 89, that I will live that long. I don't really know. Today may be my last day, and hopefully there are lessons from me that people will remember. Hopefully my character will be one that people miss.
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