*AT LEAST*
The death of a national artist left the literary community feeling ambiguous. As much as his contributions could not---and should not---be forgotten, his opinions in his later years have incited “anger and derision.” This wasn’t a matter of differences of perspectives but it was seen as a betrayal of everything he stood for as a gifted pen.
There is a call to remember him not for his “recent tweets” but for his “body of work, a bookshop, and a long life well-lived.” Yes, his tweets perhaps make up a small percentage in his 97 years but they are still part of his “body of work…and…long life.” They cannot be separated from him and more so now with his passing, they've become permanent.
People who try to make us remember the beginning but not the end in a way pay a back-handed nod to the disappointment. They’re the “at least” apologists---“At least s/he did this, at least s/he did that…” It’s wrong timing to be telling the betrayed to remember the happier days. It’s like having a sumptuous meal only to be downed by food poisoning and to be comforted with, “Think how tender the steak was.”
But this is not about pointing a sanctimonious finger but a call for self-reflection with our three fingers pointing back at us. At a time when the Grim Reaper can take us regardless of how young, health-conscious, or careful we are, let's make sure that our loved ones won't be delivering an “at least” eulogy for us. But more importantly, let's make sure that we present more than "at least" when we face God on the Day of Judgment. Let us finish well the race that is set before us.
Stay safe, everyone!