In Tragedy, Opportunity Arises
What we can learn from Kobe Bryant’s death.
This Sunday, the whole world realized that Kobe Bryant had passed away. Within an hour of his plane crashing, TMZ had reported his death, and within minutes, it had taken over social media like a storm.
Regardless of however much money, fame, or respect we have, we are subject to the same laws of mortality as each other. There is no way to escape or cheat death. It will come, whether we’re expecting it or not.
As a culture, we have become addicted to the next big headline. LAPD scolded TMZ for their instantaneous reporting of Kobe’s death. But the ones to blame are not TMZ. We also need to scrutinize the readers that create the demand for this reporting. Vanessa Bryant and her children should not have found out that her partner and child passed away from the tabloids. This media is extremely hurtful and disrespectful.
It has been interesting to read about the impact that Kobe Bryant has had on people, from inspiring singers to opening up the conversation of rape. While I stand for anyone who wants to take this opportunity to speak out about sexual assault and violence, his daughter that died in the crash (as well as his remaining wife and two daughters) deserves our whole time, respect, and love.
With that said, in light of this tragic event, we are also given an opportunity to be more introspective — to reassess our values and acknowledge that nothing is ever guaranteed. For Kobe, he had retired only four years ago (2016) and left the earth at a young age of 41.
What is something you are grateful for?
What is something you have always put off doing?
What is something you can change this year?
This might just be the time. We never know what the future will bring.
I host a podcast called Yellow Glitter, mindfulness through the eyes and soul of a gay Asian. You can find it on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Overcast, and TuneIn.
Along with a bit of weekly mindfulness, I send out my favorite things I discover each week on my email newsletter at Mindful Moments.
Thanks for reading! Until next time.
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