Alright after a few days of processing everything, I've come back to pay my proper respects. Anyone that happens to follow my DA or art Tumblr will probably recognize what I'm about to say since I wrote it there too, but well... this already sums up my feelings pretty well, so here it goes:
It's still pretty surreal to think that he's gone, and there's a small part of me that's expecting it to somehow not be true, like I'm just dreaming or I'll find out it's just a really bad hoax and he's fine. When I first heard about the ALS diagnosis last year, I was optimistic that he'd at least somehow live long enough to see the third movie, and maybe even see the show itself get its final, proper send-off. I'm not alone in saying that I grew up with this show. SpongeBob has kinda just... always been there for as long I can remember. It premiered just a few weeks before my second birthday, and one of my earliest memories was a scene from the show (although for the life of me I don't remember which episode it was. If I had to guess maaaaaybe it was Wet Painters?). My childhood got pretty wild at times between bullying and constant family problems, but no matter how bad things got SpongeBob was always there to cheer me up without fail. Seeing what crazy antics SpongeBob and his friends were getting up to that day helped give me the escape I needed and always left me feeling better. As a kid, I looked at SpongeBob as a sort of role model and always tried to be as optimistic as him (Still try to be tbh). It didn't always work, but hey, it's the thought that counts, right?
I attribute my love for cartoons/animation somewhat to this show, and I can say without a doubt that I wouldn't be the person I am today without SpongeBob. Throughout the years my interests and fandoms have constantly shifted, but SpongeBob is the one thing that's always managed to stick around no matter what (Even after that time I went through the "hating SpongeBob is cool" phase). Whatever comes next, Stephen's unique humor, unforgettable characters and the love and passion he put into his work will continue to live on and inspire and entertain children and adults alike for generations to come. I'll forever be grateful to Stephen Hillenburg for showing me that growing up doesn't mean you have to grow up, that any day can be the best day ever, to never give up in the face of failure, and to always follow your passions no matter what others may think. I wish I could've gotten a chance to say something like this in person but now's a good a time as ever I suppose: Thank you, Stephen, for making the world a little brighter. Thank you for all the laughter and fun over the years.
Thank you for giving me my childhood.
Rest in peace, captain. This kitchen won't be the same without you. :sbbye2:
"He's on the other side now."
"Yeah... he's in a better place."