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My heroes are Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, O-Sensei and Bruce Lee. Very Old-School. Then again, I’m rather old-school, and I am older. Hopefully, never too old nor completely out of touch with being young.
I believe being “greater than” ( > ) resides in the now. Tom Brady is greater than Joe Montana. Lebron James and Kobe Bryant are greater than Michael Jordan. That’s only my personal opinion. Opinions exist to be agreed upon, mocked, or discarded. Just the consequence of having opinions.
Still, I believe that this idea represents my particular point of view: Keep current, stay relevant, stay present. I have homage for the past, but I don’t want to be in love with their memories; I want to keep moving forward.
I truly believe that greater exists in the present. Greater doesn’t fall in love with that ideal memory of past greatness. Watching the elite athletes of the world grow older makes this eloquently transparent. Times will change. Everyone gets older. Either evolve or truly become a memory.
Athletes become stronger, faster, and smarter in the coming generations. Tom Brady may be the greatest quarterback of all time. That’s for now. His time will eventually pass, making way for the next greater one. Tom knows that’s also part of his legacy.
The next greater quarterback in all likelihood grew up inspired by Tom, his hero. That young man will bring with him a part of Tom. Thus, the hero cycle continues. The greater than cycle continues as well. Much like Kobe and Michael inspired high school baller, Lebron.
We witness the dawn of the new greater in the Millennials. They truly inspire others in their belief in themselves and their wondrous view of the world.
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Bright-spirited, 17-year-old Chloe Kim is the 2018 Winter Olympics Snowboard Gold Medalist. In her 3rd run on the half-pipe, she nailed 2 consecutive 1080’s (3 continuous 360-degree spins).
After her first two runs, Chloe had already secured Gold. She went for it because she wanted to give it her “very best”. Leave nothing behind. Chloe let it rip. Live without regret. Live free. Live for what you love. The profound wisdom of the 17-year-old.
Chloe embodies joy and absolute freedom. She tweeted in between runs that she should have finished her breakfast egg sandwich. “Now I’m so hangry.” Plugged into her headset she listened to Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi”, and “Toxic” by Britney Spears. Funny. Chloe is kind of Old-School. Kind of.
On her snowboard or in her interviews Chloe is happy, so free. Chloe is free to be Chloe. Self-expression is her gift to the world. That’s greater in this new generation. That inspires.
Chloe represents the lightness of this Generation of Millennials amidst the cultural darkness. Chloe and her generation embody freedom, affinity, invention, and community. In an interview, Chloe graciously thanked her family, who emigrated from South Korea to the US. Her Dad calls her his “American Dream”.
Witnessing her spinning in the air, she creates from nothing, being truly in the moment. After winning Gold she embraced her family and all those who supported her. Greater is love and family. Chloe gets it.
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We could stereotype Millennials invariably. Self-absorbed? Immediate gratification? Too plugged in? All about me? Perhaps. We’re all lightness and darkness. That’s what it is to be human.
Millennials are the possibility of love and inspiration for the next World Order. Like Chloe, they are more gracious than we acknowledge. They’re wiser than we know. They also see the world with wonder. They acknowledge people as greater in their reverence for community. Millennials are the dawn of the New Era of Discovery. Amen. Amen.
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Photo credit: Pixabay