With the tragic news of Kobe Bryant’s death along with his 13-year old daughter Gigi and seven others comes a reminder that life can be gone in a second. It’s a reminder to do what we want and live the life we dream of now. It’s a reminder that while working toward something big in your life it’s important to enjoy each and every day.
What was your day like yesterday? Did you do something that you loved? Did you have a good day or were you moody and miserable? What are the major issues that have you feeling down? What can you do to start changing that? What can you do to get a little joy out of each and every day?
It’s moments like these that we truly see how fragile and fleeting life is. And it underscores the importance of doing what we love now, right now. Kobe was a master at his craft. He will forever be known as one of the best. He was a champion who did what it took to get to the top. He was disciplined, ambitious, relentless and I think we all admired him for his dedication. He was done playing professional basketball but he was far from done. He won an Oscar for a film short he produced. He co-authored a book last year. He had much more to give to this world and we’re all a little worse off now that he can’t.
He was a husband, father, son, friend, teammate, and an inspiration to so many. Kobe was not just a great basketball player, he was a great role model. He showed so many people that hard work and perseverance can pay off. But to many more he was a person, a human being that gave and received love. He had four girls who depended on him and looked up to him as we all did. This feels personal to us but it’s so much more personal for those who knew him.
Take a few moments to think about the people in your life and how they would be affected if you weren’t here tomorrow. What would their lives look like from that point on? Is there anything you can do to lessen such a blow? Is there anything you can do to make sure you are missed? I just read a book where a woman was terminally ill with cancer. She planned her own funeral. She said the people in her life wanted to make it a celebration of her life. Not a sad affair. She said she wanted people to be sad she was gone. She wanted people to feel the void that is left when she is gone. She put together invitations to her funeral that read; “It’s my party and you’ll cry if you want to”. Perfect. You want people to notice your gone. You want people to move on with their lives but also remember you and all that brought to them. It’s okay to be sad.
Most of us didn’t know Kobe but we felt like we did. He was someone we looked up to and knew he had something special. It’s so sad to see any life snuffed out too early but when it is someone that has seemed to be a part of your life for so long it hits a little harder. It makes you question if you are living the way you want to when your time comes. Would you be okay with being done? Would it have been enough? Of course, we can always do more but do you feel like you are living your true purpose? Take a little time to think about that.
I’m going to talk about your purpose and your path all this week. I hope you up for it. It’s Monday…my favorite day after Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A brand-new week full of opportunities and possibilities. Don’t squander them. Now, really…go make today, your best day yet.
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