Well, I see where NBA star, Kobe Bryant is suing his parents and soon their 'family reunion' will convene in a New Jersey court room. Apparently, the issue is legal ownership of Kobe's 'things' as in extrinsic awards he amassed from high school basketball up to some undetermined time. Kobe states that the 'stuff' is HIS and Mother and Father have no 'selling' rights, which is their intention. Mom says Kobe 'gave' the stuff to her. The parents got a half million dollar advance from an auction house that Mommy already used to buy a Las Vargas house.
After I read that news report yesterday morning, I sat back in my chair, reached to a nearby table and picked up a photo of me and my recently deceased Mother. In the photo, which was taken perhaps six years ago, we are' cheek-to-cheek' smiling and Mom has her right-hand next to my right cheek holding my face in a caress. I'm thinking at that moment that I would not 'sell' that piece of personal memorabilia for a million dollars. Damn, I wish I could hear her voice at that moment!!
While looking at the photo, I thought of the old gospel hymn, Old Rugged Cross. The chorus of that song goes like this: ..."I will cherish the Old Rugged Cross till my trophies at last I lay down,..." Now, as a sport-kid growing up in the hymn-signing Methodist Church, I always got those lyrics; you can win awards and gain earthly fame but one day you die and the 'stuff'' you thought so valuable and important to GAIN goes to the trash or some musky-smelling trunk of one of the kids who clings to the 'stuff'' as I do a photo.
My office area is filled with those extrinsic awards and recognition gifts. I thank those who made the acknowledgements possible. However, I noted over my journey that many times when accomplishing a goal or reaching some perceived coveted plateau, I felt a void. It was at those moments that I remembered that saying, "Life is a journey, not a destination." My greatest rewards were 'sharing-the-journey.'
My first reaction to the article was sadness sprinkled with dismay for Kobe who would 'sue' his parents. Then I thought, what the hell kind of Mother wishes to turn her son's high school 'varsity award letter-jacket' into a dollar?? My heart aches for the Bryant family; how sad...
"...I will cling to the Old Rugged Cross and exchange it someday for a Crown."
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