What Happened To Us?

Just finished watching the "Last Dance" and the ideology that permeated the entire documentary and the lives of MJ, Phil, the Staff and Team, as a whole, was the passion and desire to succeed.

Bearing that in mind I am lost to understand why the desire to succeed and the passion, commitment and dedication it takes to do such are no longer regarded as the essence of the American Spirit...or so it would seem to me. Why would 1985 to 1998 be any different than today? Maybe we have grown comfortable and complacent; and have replaced the word Victory with Victim. And that having Followers is far more important than having Friends. Who know's, but what I do know is; we were a Nation of doers but now it seems we are more comfortable being spectators who endlessly critique all that we see and witness.

And the worse attribute we have fostered is division, for we are now truly a divided Nation. It strikes me odd that a White man, influenced by the 60's with a Zen Buddhist mindset was able to foster a rapport with a young Black man from Wilmington, North Carolina and craft a legacy that to this day is unequaled; and was done with a very diverse cast of characters. Yet the only place you will find that on this planet is in America, lest you think such things happen anywhere else. So again, what happened to us?

Our destiny is always ours; it is just a matter of how hard and committed one wants to work to attain the goal or objective we dare to pursue. This present COVID-19 situation and political turmoil we have experienced for the past 20 years is nothing more than cowardice and a society content to be victimized by a very small segment of the population who desire wealth, privilege and power. History tells us a lot and if we seek to rewrite it or banish it to fit crafted narratives, then we lose what made us succeed in spite of great opposition and personal suffering. For do we truly believe that pain, suffering, burden, strife, fear, joy, happiness, pleasure, pride and success don't visit all of us to varying degrees? News Flash, we're not that unique.

My goals today are no different than they were yesterday, last week, a year ago, a decade ago or 40 plus years ago. I look to succeed, make the sacrifices necessary to succeed, putting an arm around my teammates and a finger in their chest guiding and leading them towards success while seeking and providing accountability. Our individual greatness is always present, it is simply a matter of unleashing it and having the right people around you that will foster that greatness. It is truly a mindset and to deny the power and resolve of the mind and its will to live and pursue its destiny is to deny what is the sole reason for why our Nation existing today. It is the unleashing of an individual’s potential. But over the past 40 years that potential has been subjugated. 

We simply can't compromise our values, standards, ethics, passion, compassion and character any longer. Our event horizon is before us and either each one of us sees the significance of our role and its impact not only on our life but the lives of those we love and the communities we live in, then we as a people, society and Nation are lost.

My mantra remains the same from when I was a kid, "It Matters" whatever the "It" was "It Mattered". And now at this point in my life the ultimate goal is leaving a legacy that I can be proud of. In essence I believe that true greatness is when one can make themselves less in order to make others more. It's called a sacrifice and it comes at a price.

Therefore, let's stop complaining, making excuses for our failures, being envious and negative, asking why me instead of why not me, assuming that our own struggles are or have been greater than others and maybe most of all being victims. Let's start living without fear and pursue our lives with passion and the belief that anything and everything is possible.

In conclusion, words and/or thoughts can inspire, but putting in the work, effort, commitment and sacrifice is what will produce success and prosperity. We need leaders desperately. So how about all of us putting forth the effort to get back to being Americans and not being ashamed of being the Greatest Nation that mankind has ever produced. Let's take our right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness back and let's become American's not some hyphenated population of Me’s. We are and have always been "These United States of America" and our unique gift to the world is our ability to work together for a common good, despite all of our differences. Find your "It" and then make "It Matter".