Observations From the Spectrum

Kobe Bryant was a hero of mine and the rest of the world it seems. He was a great man by msot measures. However, it doesn’t change that he an early bloomer who missed a lot of living. We can learn from his success, certainly. But also from his loss.

Many of us have been told that we are either late bloomers or failures because of our lack of global success or notoriety. I don’t agree. I am not a failure. I am not a late bloomer. I am and will continue to be an early liver. Not the organ but someone who loves living and defining his or her own life.

Now, financial success would be wonderful. To have so much money in the bank that no matter what you want, you don’t worry about the cost, you just buy it. But that comes with a price. As Eddie Vedder said in the song ‘Society’ 

When you want more than you have, you think you need And when you think more than you want, your thoughts begin to bleed I think I need to find a bigger place Cause when you have more than you think, you need more space

Those who have it all try to get the rest of us to buy into their way of life and how they measure it. I like some of their messages but am critical of them. 

Look at Kobe Bryant. He is a perfect example of this. He has the work ethic like none other. He was only happy with the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow or working his tail off to get it. He was an early bloomer who was hoping to live later. He did not get that luxury. Many do not. James Dean. Jimi Hendrix. MLK. JFK. Marilyn Monroe. Kurt Kobain. Tupac. All of them were early bloomers who found great success but never made it to the golden years to enjoy the fruit of their labor.

This idea that we all have to prescribe to the same way of life is foolish. It’s not free. Would I have liked to have been an ‘Early Bloomer’ who has already had great success? Maybe. But that’s not my story. My road was a windy bumpy one with lots of turns. Each one taught me something. The best part is that today, I don’t miss anything and want very little. I love myself and where I am at. In retrospect, the bumpy windy road was the rainbow leading to the pot of gold. Happiness and contentment here in the now.

So if you find yourself listening to others and feeling bad where you are at or measuring yourself against someone else’s successes, STOP! You are the writer of your narrative. If there are things you don’t like, change them. Get some help. There are many very willing to offer a helping hand.

And remember, the metaphor about their being gold at the end of the rainbow is stupid. Because to get to the end of the rainbow, you would have to be on it and that would be a reward in and of itself. Riding a rainbow.