Life constantly reminds us to trust our process. The waiting. The delays. The detours. And the delicate dance between it all. 2020 I’ve found has required this even more as we navigate the days and weeks with mounting unknowns.

I was reminded this morning that on this day 24 years ago the Hornets told Kobe Bryant right after they drafted him, that they would be trading him. Kobe as we know went on to spend his entire career with the Los Angeles Lakers, (20 seasons and 5 championships). 

Celebrated as one of the greatest athletes of our time, he was not exempt from seasons of challenges and setbacks. How different though would his legacy have been written if he had over analyzed or mourned the moment when the Hornets told him back in ‘96 that they “had no use for him”. How differently would his story be told if he ended his career earlier due to team dynamics, tough critics/naysayers, or intense public scrutiny. What Kobe kept doing was to keep going. To use every gift he was born with and to leave nothing in the tank. 

As I write this, COVID-19 has claimed 130K lives in the past 122 days, with an infection rate that’s steadily climbing. There are tensions on all fronts and uncertainties across the board. But with this gift of time that we’ve been given we also have to keep on going. The days are heavy – I know, but there have been pages in the history books assigned to cover the tasks we’ve been given to complete. Time is counting on us to choose to do what we must to deliver on all our gifts.

History is counting on us to leave nothing in the tank.