We live each day as if life is ordinary, until death shows us what an extraordinary gift each moment is. Today the death of Kobe Bryant and his 13-year old daughter has jarred the world collectively into sadness, grief, and fear. A sense of helplessness.
It’s worth asking why anyone cares. People die every day. Why mourn the deaths of a star? Why is there now a guttural cry to the universe?
We believe we have control over our lives and will live “normal lifespans.” The untimely death of a public figure shatters these illusions. Untimely is a word that expresses our belief that we are in control, as if lifespans have a knowable path.
Children bury their parents. Parents are not supposed to bury their children.
The public’s focus will be on Kobe, naturally as he was a beloved public figure. The grief will be felt by Vanessa Bryant, whose heart has been ripped from her chest as she buries a daughter.
We live as if life is ordinary, and we must. Bills are paid and obligations are made as if tomorrow will come. The world would collapse if we always lived truly in the moment.
Life is ordinary, until it’s gone.
