So, the legendary Stephen Hawking has died at the age 76.
His death follows the recent passing of Dr Billy Graham at the age of 99.
Two legendary men, living worlds – even cosmos – apart as the one sought for answers in the outer reaches of the galaxy, while the other led millions to acceptance at the hands of divinity.
For those who do not know, Hawking explained the complex workings of the universe to the masses in his writings as he hunted for the elusive “theory of everything”.
The physicist, who suffered from a debilitating neurological disorder, became one of the most famous voices in the sciences even as he communicated via a synthesised-speech box. Hawking studied and explained complex theories of space, time, black holes and relativity.
Hawking made the statement that humans should go and live in space within the next 1 000 years, or it will die out on a fragile planet.
On the other hand, Graham was regarded as one of the greatest evangelists of our time and found that the theory of everything in the Lord he professed and declared for decades.
It is reckoned he preached to live audiences of nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries and territories through various meetings. It is also recorded he had reached hundreds of millions more through television, video, film, and webcasts.
So, Hawking pursued a life of discovering why the universe exists, while Graham continued on his path of explaining the existence of the universe within a spiritual context.
Two remarkable men indeed, operating on the opposite scales of life – both of them explorers within their own right. One explored the cosmos, the other the inner working of man’s soul.
So, why are we talking about these two men? Because mankind remains on a journey, and this is not just the journey of navigating our country’s roads.
In all honesty, many people are caught in the middle of the world of Hawking and the world of Graham. After all, how many people on this planet are truly concerned with the complex theories of space, time, black holes and relativity?
Let us be honest, most of us are more concerned with the black holes in our bank accounts, and here in South Africa there are growing concerns over “spaces of land” which will be expropriated.
The theory of everything for most in the tainted Rainbow Nation is that come April 1, we will be paying so much for everything that we will wish we can flee to outer space.
And then we also have to worry about all kinds of strange diseases and mutated bacteria, which I believe we pray could be swallowed by a black hole.
And for Graham, despite all his endearing and passionate efforts, the reality is mankind keeps slipping deeper into secularism, where we all more than ever consumed by the now, the tangible, the “seen”, and the reality we experience around us.
Such a reality dawns on so many when it comes to unemployment, lack of service delivery and the general cost of living. Yes, for many, they wish for some kind of divine outcome, especially when the taxi almost rams you off the road, yet the world keeps bringing us back to our morbid senses by reminding us of recessions, interest rates, and taxes.
Hawking and Graham found their place in this world, yet we struggle as different cultures and tribes to find our place in South Africa. It is a sad reality, because we can only imagine all of us living in harmony, as John Lennon once famously wrote.
But until imagination becomes a reality, and while we explore space or embark on our spiritual journey of discovery, let us continue to hope that South Africa will witness a better dawn, especially in Ekurhuleni, and yes, right here in Boksburg.
After all, we all deserve it, and a good life for all here on earth, void of black holes, is relatively and theoretically the wish of all. Let it be so, and let it not be so complicated that we forget to live, love and be at peace.
