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The Definition
In my last two posts, I've written about being Outstanding. Let’s look at what that means. The dictionary definition says it’s an adjective, a description of something or someone that’s exceptionally good. Similar words are excellent, marvelous, magnificent, and superb. If you use one of these words to describe someone than they are the best of the best, you are excited about them, they blew you away, they wowed you.
The world lost someone outstanding yesterday – Chadwick Boseman. No, I didn't know him personally, but I do know his work, and in every role, he played he was outstanding. As an actress (aspiring when mentioning myself in the same sentence as him) he is the dream for me. Losing him hurt me like he was a friend I’ve known for years. Why does his death hurt so much? Simply because everything he did was outstanding. Every role he played he took it on with his whole self, giving more than 100%, transforming himself so much that you’d forget that he wasn’t that person. He captured my emotions each time taking me on the journey through the story making me become invested in the life of the characters he played, the real and the make-believe.
His resume host a series of legendary roles from 42, The Jackie Robinson Story, the first Black man to play in Major League Baseball, Marshall, the Thurgood Marshall story, the first Black Supreme Court Justice, Get on Up, the James Brown story, one of the most influential musicians in history known as the “Godfather of Soul” and the role where he played the Black King that he was, Black Panther. He had a resume that most actors only dream of. In his 42 short years on this earth through those stories, he was able to create a legacy that inspired people all around the world. While playing legends, he became one.
I’ve talked a lot about how much I have on my plate, and how much pressure I’m under which in turn became the excuse as to why I wasn’t giving my all to my classes. Who would Chadwick Boseman have been if he used excuses? As he battled with colon cancer he continued to film, never showing his audience one sign of the pain he must’ve been going through. He didn’t let cancer be an excuse to hold him back from being exceptional. What he did show us is that we can accomplish anything with hard work and dedication and not let obstacles become excuses. Ultimately, we don’t know when our last day will be, so we have to give everything we got to each one we get.
It is time to shift my narrative and focus on all the many blessings in my life, time to power through the issues that arise, and build a legacy that my children can be proud of. Chadwick Boseman was a superhero on, and off camera and his life taught me to use my time wisely, to give my all to everything I do, and if I’m going to put my name and reputation on something to make sure my efforts are – Outstanding!
***My prayers go out to Chadwick’s loved ones, to his wife and children I pray the Lord's peace on your hearts as you endure this devastating loss. Thank you for lending him to us! ***