documentary

October 6, 2021

I am into watching documentaries these days…on important people and events that have occurred both in the distant and recent past.

Some recent ones are: Jamal Khashoggi’s death, the American Civil War, the Underground Railroad, Jeff Bezos.

Today, while listening and watching some of Bob Marley’s musical videos, in the same vein of a documentary I guess, but occurring in my mind, I began to wonder about his everyday life surrounding his ‘consciousness music.’ This reggae icon, this influencer, this pioneer, this singer/songwriter who continues to cause the young and old to hum and sing and sway to his rhythms.

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• I wondered about his interactions with his wife, Rita Marley, in between appearances on stage or during their world travels while on tour
• How she viewed him, in light of the messages in his music
• His interactions with the women who bore him children
• His early years in school, his interactions with peers
• His interactions with friends on the field as he kicked around a soccer ball
• His thoughts about humankind as he penned the words to his songs
• His emotions, his failures, his thoughts when he came onstage and saw the tens of thousands calling his name and celebrating him

I also wondered how Bob Marley saw himself; did he know that he was going to be celebrated by other artists, that his music would be enjoyed by people around the world, of all ethnic backgrounds, and for decades to come? In other words, did he and those that surrounded him know how important a person he would be and to so many and for so long? Did he have a clue when he started making music?

Did Mr. Bezos know that he was going to be a billionaire when he first started working out of his home, selling books on the internet?

Do we know about the future impact some of the people in our circle will have, or that we will have? And that right now, we are part of the story that will one day be told or celebrated or written?

Let’s look around us, and live with excellence, and lift another as we climb, and if for nothing else, know that the lives we live are contributing to another’s ginormous feats!

More to come…