DOES ANYONE REALLY REMEMBER YOU???

Tonight Lew Alcindor.[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar] was diagnosed with cancer of the blood. His prognosis is good but not assured. I went to see him play basketball @ Power Memorial HS in Brooklyn, NY. Will I remember him?? Of course I will, he was the greatest center I ever saw, but it’s been many years since he played, and unless something causes him to be thrown back into the news, I rarely, if ever, bring him to mind.

Why are we needy?? The need to be important, to be remembered. Me, especially. Very weird!!! I have done nothing to be remembered. I have achieved no special human deeds, or volunteered to help my fellow man. I have loved my children, but in their minds, not to any herculean level. I dream of that one situation that would bring me to that level, but it is a dream and probably will never happen. Even if it did happen, people who have done super human achievements, are forgotten before you know it.

In order to be at piece, one must come to realize our mortality, and deal with it. I am not there and I don’t know if I ever will be totally. I had loads of ” ability” everyone of my teachers and coaches told me so over and over. I never understood potential because no matter how well I did, I never seemed to achieve it. I soon gave up on achieving it and started dreaming of it. I know I am not alone in that, but it gives me no solace knowing that fact.

I hope my kids will read the things I write so they will know my frame of mind and know how much I loved life, but did not live it to the fullest.

I have done most everything there is to do, and had tons of opportunities to get there, but never really closed the deal. My advice to all is to make that sacrifice and try and get it done or you will be old with no chance of truly being happy.

CHICAGOFATPHIL