Chadwick Boseman was immeasurable. What is the measure of a man? Do we measure a man’s impact by his strength? Do we measure him by his degrees? What about measuring him by his appearance? Do we measure him by the number of children he has fathered? Do we measure him by how fast and well he can drive? No, the true measure of a man is by how he lived his life. We measure him by the way he served, the life he led, the legacy he leaves behind. Chadwick Boseman exemplified what it means to live life to the fullest! He was the true measure of a man.
Frankly, 2020 has been a painful year for many of us and we have several more months to go with no guarantee that life will rebound.
The Life Lesson We Can All Learn from Chadwick Boseman
There is a lesson in the way that Chadwick Boseman lived his life. All of us learned (around the same time) that for 4 years he was fighting a tremendous battle for his life while at the same time securing his legacy on this earth right before our very eyes.
Chadwick Boseman was immeasurable
Chadwick Boseman was not new to acting or show business, he had humbly made his mark over the years playing roles on soaps, sitcoms, etc. It wasn’t until he starred in “42” as Jackie Robinson that he became famous. Ultimately, he found his purpose and never wavered or lost track because of money or fame. Stop and pause for a moment and ponder this, Chadwick created his legacy with the end in mind and we didn’t even know it.
He lived hopeful despite his diagnosis and although he was only 43 he exemplified what it was to live a full life. We see this fullness through the roles he played, the smile that greeted us whenever he was on screen, and the way he touched our hearts as King T’challa in Black Panther. Through his movies, we will remember his life, the measure of him as a man, and many will learn from the life he led. Surely, he will never be forgotten.
We can continue to honor his life
Therefore, let us honor his life and live hopeful, dedicated despite adversity, let us mark our own legacies by living with the end in mind. Rest well, Chadwick just like you lived well.
Here are some of his words that I want my children to remember about Chadwick Boseman’s Life:
- “You have to cherish things in a different way when you know the clock is ticking, you are under pressure” – Chadwick Boseman
- “Purpose is the essential element of you,” Boseman said in the middle of the speech. “It is the reason you are on the planet at this particular time in history. Your very existence is wrapped up in the things you are here to fulfill. ” – Chadwick Boseman
- “Colonialism is the cousin of slavery.” – Chadwick Boseman
- “I think you realize how much you need to have people that you love. It’s not as much about them loving you – it’s about you needing to love people.” – Chadwick Boseman
- “I’m an artist. Artists don’t need permission to work. Regardless of whether I’m acting or not, I write. I write when I’m tired in fact, because I believe your most pure thoughts surface.” – Chadwick Boseman
- Knowledge has always been power, but on June 19, 1865, 2+ yrs after Emancipation Proclamation, knowledge finally brought freedom to the slaves in TX. Taking us closer to the ratification of 13th Amendment in Dec 1865. Understanding history is one of many ways to break the cycle. – Chadwick Boseman
- “You are not just the future, you are the present. Vote for what you believe in.” – Chadwick Boseman
- “My grandmother would say that God is real, and it does feel that way. There’s things you can’t explain away as coincidence. Certain things are meant for you to do.” – Chadwick Boseman
- “People don’t want to experience change, they just want to wake up and it’s different.” – Chadwick Boseman
- “Fearlessness means taking the first step, even if you don’t know where it will take you. It means being driven by a higher purpose, rather than by applause. It means knowing that you reveal your character when you stand apart, more than when you stand with the crowd.”– Chadwick Boseman,