Kobe Bryant, Super Bowl LIV, and Life

I remember watching NBA games at my friend Brandon’s house. He was #teamkobe, and I respected LeBron's game. Although I wasn't a fan of Kobe Bryant on the court, I acknowledged that he had skills. It’s hard to believe he is gone.

The Friday before Kobe died in a helicopter crash, I watched an interview he did with Patrick Bet-David. In the video, he talked about his work ethic while playing for the Lakers and his decision to retire. As I watched the interview, I thought to myself, here is someone tapped into their greatness. Kobe Bryant had a beautiful family, talent, wealth, and intelligence.

To many, Kobe was a legend. He played for twenty years in the league. His stats include eighty-one points in a single game and five championships.

We often think that our legends will live forever. Last week, one of my coworkers said to me, "he is a legend; he was not supposed to die this soon." I nodded my head in agreement.

The reality is that none of us know when our time will come. As I said in my post two weeks ago, our inevitable future deaths give us more than enough reason to live today.

Every day is a blessing.

We must remain humble, grateful, and push ourselves daily to reach our potential. It's essential to embody love in our interactions with others. We must invest our time in activities that bring us joy.

On the day Kobe passed away, his story occupied every outlet. If you turned on the TV, everyone talked about and showed footage of something related to his life. On social media platforms, he dominated the posts. Two days after Kobe died, it appeared that many had moved on with their lives.

Sports anchors began to talk about the Super Bowl. They discussed their favorites between the Chiefs and the 49ers. As you know by now, the Chiefs won. Focus shifted, and Kobe Bryant's death became old news.

The same will happen to us. When we die, our friends, family, and possibly others will mourn for a season. They may create a memorial for us as at our jobs as they did for Kobe. Some people will remember our successes. Most will forget our failures. Give it a few days, and many will move on with their lives.

My words in this post may sound harsh. I intend to encourage you to live your life.

We cannot afford to attempt to live for the approval of others or likes on social media posts. Show up today as your authentic self, because tomorrow is not guaranteed.

Use the awareness of your unavoidable death to extract your greatness on this Friday. Kobe Bryant used to practice basketball at 4 am. He wanted to maximize his hours every day to improve as a professional athlete. From the many photos of him with his daughter, we can also assume he prioritized their relationship.

Work towards getting clarity on your spiritual values.

Make time for family.

Eat healthy foods.

Exercise your mind and body.

Do meaningful work.

Protest injustices.

Travel the world.

Live your life!

During February, I am looking for feedback on my writing. If this post resonates with you, is just ok, or sucks, I want to hear from you! Please leave your critique in the comments below or send me a message.

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