Sunday January 26th, 2020 the world was forced to a sudden halt. As the oxygen was ripped from the lives of every individual that knew the name Kobe Bryant. Phones ringing off the hook from friends & family calling about the devastating news. Alerts flooding the streets like chirping crows as our heart ached to look at the news on our phones. Our beloved Kobe Bryant, his amazing, talented daughter Gigi and the lives of seven other remarkable individuals were lost in a helicopter accident. I found myself in disbelief that one of my childhood heroes was no longer on his earth. The man who inspired every trash can and basketball hoop jump shot where I yelled “Kobe ” was no longer with us. Celebrities, Athletes and every amazing person on the earth were all asking the same question Why? Making remarks like “Can we just fast forward 2020 and get to the next year because this is to much?” I found myself in that same pattern wishing that I could fast forward the year and just get to 2021. Then I started thinking what good would that do? Wouldn’t 2021 just have its own problems and issues that would make me want to just fast forward to 2022? .
I found myself musing on Kobe’s life and the amazing legacy he left behind. Kobe started what he liked to call “Mamba Mentality.” To sum it up in definition from various interviews and readings I found on Kobe’s mantra. Mamba mentality simply meant “to be able to constantly try to be the best version of yourself. It’s the constant quest to try to be better today than you were yesterday.” This is the mantra that drove Kobe to five championships, multiple scoring titles and many other great achievements. He mentors other athletes with that same killer mindset that made him great. To bring back to the point I alluded to earlier of just wanting to fast forward the year. What good would it do to just fast forward the year just because tragedy strikes? Jesus himself says this in John 16:33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. Life strikes in many ways and various forms some that we’re not even prepared to handle. Even when calamity does strike those moments have the ability to make us stronger and better. Find the value in those moments through the lesson that you can learn.
Ok, time to wrap up because this is getting long winded lol. Moving past a year won’t make you better. Facing what hurts will help you build endurance, patience, strength, peace, persistence and everything else you need to make you better. Face 2020 and all that it brings your way head on. Don’t run when things get hard. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus… (Hebrews 12:1-2.) This year is going to be the best year of your life, but it won’t come without battles but If Kobe taught us anything it’s Persistent till victory.
Thank you, Kobe, your legacy will echo in my heart forever. Thank you for my childhood memories and classic arguments with friends. There will be no more argument on who’s the GOAT because you truly are life’s greatest champion, Mamba Out!
Living Beyond 
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