'Being better'
The "Last Dance" on espn.com came out earlier than projected, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic this year, in 2020. It's a documentary about the Chicago Bulls 1990's championship years in the National Basketball Association. I ended up watching most episodes a second time after they began airing on local live Saturday evening TV. Reminicing about those championship seasons brought back the nostalgia I felt as a fan living in the Chicago metropolitan area back in the nineteen nineties. While I watched those Chicago Bull's teams of the nineties, I appreciated how much adversity each team had to overcome to achieve six total championships. MJ's ability, in particular, to improve and get better was inspiring to me. He seemed to always be able to work hard and use his determination to push him over the top. Whatever he wanted to accomplish, he eventually achieved it. When MJ was drafted out of NCAA college, he wasn't the first pick out of the NBA draft, though many might have expected him to be. Hakeem Olajuwon and Sam Bowie were the other two high picks that year. I can only imagine that MJ used this as motivation to get better...to prove to himself he could do better.
At this particular moment, I think it's important, not to forget any resolutions we've made to ourselves these past few months. It is July 2020, and COVID-19 still lingers; most people have had some time away from the office to reflect on their own lives. Many are attempting to make changes for the 'better'. One resolution I often hear is that I am going to 'be better', for example, at 'living sustainably for the environment.' Another might be to 'reduce consumption'. I've actually made similar pledges to myself as well. If nature responds to us in the same way we treat it, I think it's quite possible to think that COVID-19 might be that response. Are we somehow all partly responsible for this outbreak of COVID-19? Does getting what we want do harm to others or the environment? Sometimes it seems like we forget about the impact we have on our environment, while we go about living our daily lives. But, it's in times like this that makes me think twice. But it's probably safe to say cheers to anyone who is trying to be a 'better' version of themself. Third pick can still be an effective pick if you can get better.
Photo cred. Elaine R.