"Super-human Jordan..."
Shared by Breanne Smedley
Brett and I are watching the ESPN docu-series "The Last Dance" right now.
All about Michael Jordan’s life and career with the Chicago Bulls.
I always find these types of documentaries fascinating. We all have our own view of famous athletes and people, based on what we see on the outside.
To the outside world, they look like they have it all.
Especially Jordan.
We see the fame. The accolades.The championships.The relentless drive.The unhuman-like abilities.
I love being able to pull back the curtain.
To see what’s behind all of it. What went on behind the scenes. What was his childhood like? What was his path to fame? What were his challenges, his struggles?
Last night, we watched the episode in which he shared about his father’s death.
I’ve only known Michael Jordan as a phenomenal basketball player. And for people’s obsession with his shoes.
As a fan of his athleticism and drive, I admired him, but I always put him on another level of super-human.
In watching the documentary, I can see why.
But when I watched as he relived the passing of his father, unexpectedly, when Jordan was just 30 years old, I was reminded that tragedy doesn’t have favorites.
That it strikes even those of the highest fame, just as it does anyone else.
The documentary allowed us to watch...As he went through the emotions of his father’s death. As his playing career was shaped by the loss of his father, without his number one fan and rock, by his side. As he came out on the other side, stronger.
I also took note when he said, "My father always taught me to turn the negative into a positive. So, I started to look at the other side of it."
Most of us know how the story ends.
Jordan was strengthened by tragedy.
Not only by making a comeback to the league and winning multiple more championships, but by his newfound outlook on life as a result of his father’s wisdom.
Yes, Jordan is super-human in many ways. But what he did here with tragedy is available for all of us to access.
Tragedy is something in my life that I tend to want to avoid at all costs.
Even to the point where I catch myself doing what Brene Brown calls "dress rehearsing tragedy" in moments of joy...so that I can be fully prepared for when the bad things do strike.
Thinking of all the things that could go wrong, and armoring myself up to avoid them.
But, we know it doesn’t work like that. And further, it takes aways from the joy of the moment.
So, I enjoy the moments of joy. With my family. With my friends. With a good meal.
Allowing myself to fully feel the joy that happens on a lazy Saturday afternoon with Charlee and Brett playing on the floor.
Knowing, full well, that negative things will happen in my life.
And that I can still experience joy in spite of that fact.
But also knowing that tragedy can happen to test me, teach me, and strengthen me, if I choose to allow it to.
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