G Dawg's Handbook of Understandments
A good friend was curious to how I live my life with such opulence. I’ve reached 2 years jobless yet, eat the best of all we know. So, on his birthday I shared my secrets with him in a personalized handbook. Allow me to reveal the censored version with you here:
I am no god, therefore; cannot command.
I am but man; I seek to understand.
#1. Just show up.
Your best gift is your presence. Merry Christmas & Happy Birthday!
Seriously, how important to you are those that are there for you? It’s like the whole world in your hands. So, you better believe that you are that for all those you show up for.
Showing up is showing love. There can never be enough of it.
#2. Getchyo shots up!
Michael Jordan tells us that “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Mathematically, I’ve struggled with this statement because 0/0 could be interpreted as 0%, 100%, or infinity. Jordan was not concerned about theoretical equations. He let statman record the statistics, while he collected Championships.
I get that most of us are in professions less praised than leading the Chicago Bulls to glory, but we all have our own opportunities if we can recognize them. Don’t disguise your fear as humility by passing up on what could be yours. The consequence is this:
If you don’t try, you won’t succeed.
#3. Foster’s Law
Foster’s law simply stated is never bailing out on anybody no matter what. None are past the point of redemption, not even yourself. So, don’t give up on you neither.
Foster’s Law was 1st given to us by Ron Artest as he was transforming into Metta World Peace during the press conference following the Lakers’ Game 7 victory over the Boston Celtics in 2010. He never forgot the man who never gave up on him in his moment of triumph.
#4. Do what you can.
A despondent Huey Freeman of The Boondocks asked Granddad, voiced by the late great John Witherspoon: “What do you do when you can’t do nothing, but there’s nothing you can do?”
Granddad’s reply I allow to live rent-free in my head for moments of despair:
“You do what you can.”
A life well lived is a life done did. Do what you can to get it done.
The remaining understandments are in the soul possession of the G Dawg himself.
They will be rewritten through his life as he lives them.