Saying goodbye to a legend

I woke up to sad news yesterday that basketball legend Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash, along with his daughter Gianna. They were on their way to a basketball game his daughter was supposedly part of. Fate wasn’t kind enough to them as flames engulfed the helicopter, killing all in it.

I can’t believe that my basketball hero since I was a little girl is gone. Let’s not pretend –I’m not really well-versed with the game and how the NBA works, but Kobe’s philosophy and determination became my inspiration throughout the years. His mamba mentality where practice comes first before anything else kept me going in the different areas of my life. And when the going got tough, I would look at his games and see how fadeaways became the fruit of his hard labor before becoming a basketball star.

My tears couldn’t help but fall as I read people who gave their tribute to the great man who changed the landscape of basketball. His humble heart touched millions of fans worldwide, myself included. This isn’t the first time I cried because of Kobe. That moment his jersey was retired, I also shed tears because he was such a gem. In our language we say “saying,” he could have done so much. But that part of his era is over.

But we thank him for everything he has given to the basketball world. Without a Kobe Bryant, we wouldn’t witness the LA Lakers reaching heights with back-to-back wins. We wouldn’t see how teamwork actually works on court which we can also do in real life. Kobe taught us that it’s okay to retire early so you can do so many things in life. It’s also okay to help other people who need it the most. And most importantly, it’s okay to share your knowledge with others. I guess this is what sets him apart from the rest --he gave his wisdom to those who are new in the basketball world.

Having a Kobe Bryant in this world made us realize a lot of things, that without him the basketball scene would have been so different. He showed us so many moves that we see now. May his soul rest in peace.

To all aspiring basketball players, may they take lessons from Kobe’s life that there are so many things to do and learn. His principles will make every player understand the value of hard work and patience. Also, life is short - make sure you spend time with your loved ones. All the time in the world is meaningless if we don’t spend it well and wisely. So as early as now, say what you mean to those who mean to you. Everything could just go away in the blink of an eye.