Leonard Nimoy

So this has nothing to do with paganism or polytheism.

This has more to do with personal thoughts and ideas.

Woke up this morning to the news that Leonard Nimoy has passed away. (Link)

That is sad for a multitude of reasons. He was a brilliant actor, worked a director, and did a lot in the arts (photography chief there). I always thought he was inspiring.

But then there’s how I first discovered Leonard Nimoy – Star Trek.

I was obsessed with Star Trek as a child. Even though I only vaguely remember TNG on television when I was really little, I really got into Star Trek through TOS reruns. I used to watch the shows late at night, around 11pm when they aired them on some channel, and I would watch the show in awe of the fact that Star Trek was handling tough issues of the 1960s, even if the effects were a bit campy (even at 6-7 I knew the effects were campy by today’s standards). TOS was the thing that got me into Sci-Fi, got me into Star Trek. And my favorite character from the first viewing was Spock. He was a fascinating character. After all–he’s half-human, half-Vulcan–and he was the only alien onboard the USS Enterprise during her first 5-year mission. But of course there was more to it than just that.

His portrayal of Spock during those episodes that I watched as a kid inspired me. Spock was different, not like the others on the ship. But he always found a way to be himself (even if Spock did struggle with his heritage), and to do what he could to help in the running of the ship. Spock was a very complex character that I always felt more relate-able than the intrepid Captain Kirk. He was always able to find a way to work with others, even as he struggled with his own identity. That was something that I thought was terribly inspiring. After all, being different is difficult, and Spock’s cool handling of the situations presented always made me feel like no matter how different I might be, I could find a way to fit in while still being myself.

Now, having watched the series as an older (comparatively) person, I see more. Spock was a character that was full of struggles, trying to find the balance between the two halves of his character. Watching the movies as I got older, I appreciated more how well that character was crafted. I don’t think that Spock would have been nearly as endearing a character if Leonard Nimoy had not been so good at bringing him to life. A half-alien character on a TV show in the 60s, it could have been terribly difficult to relate to him. But the way Spock was brought to life–you cannot help but identify with him and try to understand what makes him the person he is. That is what I took away from watching Star Trek as a child.

And seeing Mr. Nimoy in interviews and in seeing his other work, it was even more impressive. As a kid, I adored him for bringing Mr. Spock to life, but the more I learned about the rest of his career, I appreciated that he was a far more inspiring person than I originally realized.

Then there’s the fact that even all these years later, I can see still how Spock’s character helped me through tough times.

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There’s not a lot I could say further. I could say “Thank you” to Leonard Nimoy for bringing a brilliant character to life and for everything else he has done.

The world lost a great person today.

Live long and prosper∗

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