Chadwick Boseman & the Urgency of Purpose
“When you are deciding on next steps...you should rather find purpose than a job or a career. Purpose crosses disciplines. Purpose is an essential element of you.”
I keep a list of heroes and mentors. People that inspire and show me the type of life it’s possible to create. Chadwick Boseman is one of those heroes. Through the way he lived his life and the characters he portrayed on screen.
I admire the way he carried himself. His demeanor always seemed so optimistic, like someone who enjoyed life, but with a quiet seriousness and confidence. He was on a mission, and he knew his purpose transcended the comfort of himself and his family. When you look at his career and listen to his interviews, he was consciously choosing to portray bold men who took responsibility for their actions and were determined to be the best at their craft for the sake of others.
He portrayed Jackie Robinson and Thurgood Marshall, but for me, Black Panther was the one that hit home.
It’s easy to write off as a popcorn flick, another silly superhero movie, or the “black superhero movie”. But to me, it was so much more. It celebrated African culture while tackling themes such as assimilation, family, heritage, legacy, and standing up for the vulnerable.
“A man who has not prepared his children for his own death has failed as a father”
Three years after my own father’s passing, I’m sitting in the theater; tears flooded to my eyes as I saw myself in T’challa AKA Black Panther. He was speaking to his deceased father King T’chaka, about the insecurities of his path and leading without his father no longer there to guide him.
That scene brought back memories of my father, John Chacha, preparing me for his own passing when I was eight years old. Informing me of the possibility, but also explaining the responsibilities that would come with it. Although my father lived 17 more years, he knew his time was short and lived with incredible urgency. He made tough sacrifices to build something that would continue to help others beyond his years. My life is possible because of the lessons he instilled in me.
Now I see Chadwick was doing the same. Most of his legacy was built in the last few years of his life after the diagnosis. Despite passing way too early, he didn’t let cancer kill his purpose.
Thank you for your inspiration Chadwick 🙏🏾.
CHALLENGE: What is your purpose? Are you giving it the urgency it deserves?
CHECK OUT: Black Panther's Cultural Impact A moving 2 min interview with Chadwick
P.S. Chadwick was diagnosed with colon cancer. My wife found her purpose in helping people with colon cancer as a Clinical Nurse Coordinator at Georgetown University.
