What Is Your Legacy?

I wrote this on Monday night after landing from my flight to SFO to JFK. And then I sat on it to make sure it said what I wanted it to say. I haven’t changed anything, this is a pretty unadulterated piece. No photos, just raw words - the way I want it to be.

So, without further adieu…

I just came off the mountain full of endorphins and sat down to eat some lunch when my friend broke the news that Kobe died. I had to stop eating for a second. I didn’t know what to think, but then I thought a lot (we’ll get to this a little later). It was a painful reminder that literally anything can disappear from one second to the other, often times without warning. 

I remember as a kid watching more Lakers games than I had any other team. I wasn’t a Lakers fan by any means, let alone much of a basketball fan, but those championship games were in the background of my life year after year. Kobe was a household name. We all watched him grow up for more than 20 years on the screen and in the news multiple times a week. We got a peek into his life both on and off the court. Because of his prevalence in pop culture and sports, he was like the guy that you knew of in school but never talked to.

I became a sneaker head in the last year or so, and while I don’t buy basketball shoes I always saw Kobe’s shoes up on the SNKRS app week after week. If you aren’t aware, to have Nike create a silhouette with your name on it, you have to be pretty darn legendary. As a side note, if you are a sneaker reseller trying to make a quick buck off of his death, you are complete and utter trash. I commend Nike and other stores for pulling the product off their shelves for the time being.

We see death in the news every day, but Kobe’s death specifically is a reminder about just how much impact one person’s life can have on others. Obviously the magnitude of his death is massive compared to the average person or even any other celebrity, but it just goes to show that even the smallest interaction between two individuals can mean a lot. I watched a number of video interviews of those close and not close too Kobe. Some who had only exchanged a few words with him or shared the court with him, but still had so many words to say about what they meant to him. The entire NBA was in shambles. Even if a player didn’t know him personally, they felt the pain of those that did surrounding them. When we think about how our actions affect others, we only think about our immediate circle, but it’s really affects so much more beyond that. This is something we got to see on screen and internet these past few days, but this type of thing is happening on a smaller scale every time tragedy occurs. And that is what went through my mind the day Kobe died.

Life is so damn precious. I don’t want to wake up tomorrow to find out that a friend has passed. But if and when that happens, I want to know that the last interaction we had was meaningful. A majority of us aren’t looking to leave behind a legacy like Kobe, but it’s still important to treat every moment of your life like a gift and be grateful for the moments you get to share with others. Every second of every day we are making some sort of imprint on this earth and the people that are on it. Even the smallest exchanges we have with someone cause a ripple effect. This makes me wonder, what kind of legacy am I leaving behind at this very moment? I think it’s a good exercise to ask yourself that from time to time. Your legacy doesn’t have to be grand, but hopefully it puts a smile on someone’s face.

On Sunday, 9 people died in a helicopter crash. On Sunday, 9 people’s friends and families were struck with tragedy. On Sunday, anyone who ever even knew of one of those 9 people were paralyzed with sadness. I don’t want to be grim, but that one day will come for us and our loved ones whether it be expected or unexpected. Let this be a reminder that every one of our actions impact those around us and that our legacy (good or bad) will be remembered forever.

So with that, be kind to one another. Check on your loved ones when you can. And always end things on a positive note with one another because wishing you would have done or said something else could be a feeling that lasts forever.

Rest in peace Kobe, Gianna, John, Keri, Alyssa, Christina, Ara, Sarah, Payton, and to all of those passing each moment of every day. You will be remembered, not forgotten.