May he explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before. 

It’s a rare thing to have fans born in every decade from the 1960s to 2015, and to know with confidence that there will be fans of your work long after that–to have the entire world, people of all ages, saddened by your passing. I always find it interesting to find other people in their twenties, like myself, who are big fans of Star Trek and Spock. I got into the show because my mom and aunts were big fans when they were kids, so I’ve been watching it for as long as I can remember. I recall liking Spock more than Kirk because he was so different from any other character on T.V. Spock is truly unique, and lovably human despite his logical nature. Or perhaps because of it. Indeed, he perfectly complimented and counterbalanced Kirk’s emotions. A friend of mine and another relatively young fan described his initial reaction to the show: 

Spock was a character that grew on me. At first his dry logic was boring, but after a few watches I enjoyed the juxtaposition of his logic with the emotion driven actions of his counterparts. My favorite part of his character was his ability to look from the outside in at the human condition. Giving the writers the unique ability to display, otherwise taboo social, political, and economic subjects in an approachable way. Which is, of course, one of the great things about the show, movies, and enduring legacy spawned by the original cast and creators.

Nimoy is a cultural icon, recognizable as Spock even by people who have never seen an episode of Star Trek, who often appeared on admittedly nerdy shows like Futurama, 

and The Big Bang Theory, 

and in Canada where they are actually “Spocking” five dollar bills. 

Spock’s  iconic hand gesture is known as a symbol of good will and is universally recognizable. 

Yet, as someone who read his books, I can say that while Spock traveled the universe exploring strange new worlds, Nimoy was as down to Earth as they come. 

When I read his words it doesn’t feel like a celebrity is speaking to me, forcing his wisdom upon the masses. I read his insight, and feel like I can take it or leave it. But why wouldn’t you take it? I read his words and feel, here is a man who was wise enough to understand true happiness in life. It wasn’t money, fame, fans, or being an icon, though for him that was all part of it, but not the most important part. So what attitude, according to Nimoy, is the key to true happiness in this life? See if you can figure it out: 

Spock will be remembered as a beloved character. Nimoy will be remembered as a kind and loving human being. To all of his fans reading this right now, please keep his ideal of selflessness alive, and may you live long and prosper.