Almost a week ago, nine people died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. Among the nine was Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna. Kobe Bryant gave 20 years of his life to the game and even after retiring, he left his imprint and legacy on the game. I’m not a huge basketball fan, nor am I an expert, but I don’t have to be in order to recognize that the loss of anyone is sad, especially when it is someone that we are close to, or in this case, someone who we grew up with. This was someone who inspired us to work hard to be our very best at all times. With all that having been said, today, I plan to write not so much about the life of Kobe Bryant, but about a lesson that might help us lead better lives. 

“When you know better, you do better.” – Maya Angelou

Ever since the news broke that Kobe Bryant died, there are two messages or words to the wise that I’ve seen over and over again. The first one is to cherish our loved ones because we never know how much time is left. And the second message highlighted the way Kobe inspired hundreds – if not thousands – of people, or at the very least made those thousands of people want to be better. The latter is a beautiful thing because oftentimes, it takes an example, and being a witness to someone else working toward their dream in order to get us going and moving toward or own. But the former – the idea that life is short and that we should tell our loved ones that we love them while they’re still here and while we still have time – isn’t new. 

My point is that we don’t seem to mention or remember the brevity of life until someone passes. But how do we incorporate the cherishing-life attitude and the people it includes into the fabric of our daily lives as opposed to only being reminded in times of loss? The answer is far simpler than you might think. 

“When you know better, you do better” – Maya Angelou 

The answer to my question is the seven word phrase . This can be interpreted several ways, but for our purposes, my point is simply that when we find truth in something or inspiration or value in something, not only do we have a responsibility to embrace it, but to apply it to our everyday lives. If we know that life is short and we understand the gravity of that in it of itself, then that will inform our relationship habits, as well as approach to them and how we connect with others, especially the ones we love. If we know that there is more we could be doing to improve ourselves in any capacity – professionally, physically, artistically,etc. then we ought to do those things, not solely because we are sparked by an event like a passing or any external influences, but primarily, because of an internal impetus. Because it is the way we desire to live. We have to stop saying what we’re going to do or reminding ourselves of what we ought to do and just do it. 

That being said, a multitude of people have been inspired by Kobe’s life – his work ethic, the longevity of his career and his love for his family. I’m not saying we can’t be inspired by people or lead by their example, in fact, we all have people in our lives that have had an impact on us or challenged us to be better. But what I am trying to say is that it is us who have to accept the challenge. Us – we – who must not only do better, but demand it of ourselves, especially because we know there is better for us and nowhere to go but up.