How do you define legacy? In every moment, with every breath, in every day, we are awarded with an opportunity to live life to the fullest. To make a difference not only in our lives but in the lives of others. We are designed for a purpose and a great destiny. Every day we have the ability to leave a legacy behind that will impact generations to come. It is up to us, up to the decisions we make, the steps we take, and the opportunities we unlock to create that legacy.
What we do with our gifts and talents is not up to chance but up to us and how we chose to use them to make the world we live in a better place. Our history is full of men and women that not only defied the odds but also achieved the impossible, and impacting us many years later. But in recent days and in my little world, no better individual defines legacy than the one and only Kobe Bryant. If you know me well, you know how much I love and respect him and you also know how devastating his passing was for me. He not only changed the game of basketball as we know it, but he also left behind a deep imprint on this world that will impact generations. He was a husband, a father, an athlete, an advocate for women sports, an entrepreneur, an advocate for justice, and so much more. He pushed himself and those around him to thrive to be better everyday and to never settle. So many saw him as the ball hogging, arrogant athlete that made questionable life choices at some point in his career. But it wasn’t until his passing when thousands upon thousands of stories emerged of his acts of kindness and generosity, and the many ways he helped others, never seeking glory or acknowledgment. These stories came from family, friends, those close to him but also strangers that were impacted by him either directly or indirectly. Each story ended with Kobe requesting the individual to keep his generosity private. That in itself is a gift most of us fail at as we seek attention at those times when we lend a hand.
Very rarely does someone’s passing cause grief and mourning around the world, where countries dedicated a week to honor and celebrate his life. The city of Los Angeles is renaming one of their streets to Kobe Bryant Boulevard. Orange County, California declared 8/24 as Kobe Bryant day or Mamba day (8/24 for the two jersey numbers Kobe wore during his 20 year career). Nike declaring this week as Kobe week with special merchandise releases every day, awards have been renamed after him, baseball teams, basketball teams, hockey teams, and even soccer teams from around the world have paid tributes to him in so many ways. The Philadelphia Eagles dedicated their training facility to him, with murals covering two walls along with the 10 rules he lead his life with.
Why am I telling you all of this? Because we all have the chance to leave a legacy behind. It may not be as deep as Kobe’s but it’s still an opportunity to do something, to make a difference, to change a life, and to build a future. What will your legacy look like? How will everyone remember you and what stories will they share about you?
