Book 146 - A Year of Magical Learning (Part 3/3)

Reflection Title: Live Like Gigi!

Book – Will by Will Smith and Mark Manson (Reflection 3/3)

Book Description: This memoir is the product of a profound journey of self-knowledge, a reckoning with all that your will can get you and all that it can leave behind. Written with the help of Mark Manson, author of the multi-million-copy bestseller The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Will is the story of how one person mastered his own emotions, written in a way that can help everyone else do the same. Few of us will know the pressure of performing on the world's biggest stages for the highest of stakes, but we can all understand that the fuel that works for one stage of our journey might have to be changed if we want to make it all the way home. The combination of genuine wisdom of universal value and a life story that is preposterously entertaining, even astonishing, puts Will the book, like its author, in a category by itself.

Reflection:

Will Smith’s Grandma, whom he calls Gigi, is the real star of the Will’s book in my eyes.

The way Will describes her reminds me a lot of my own Grandma, who I call Granny.

What is it about Grandma’s?

They all seem to be these mythical creatures sent down from heaven and can do no wrong as they help guide and shepherd their flocks. Both Gigi and my Granny are somehow equal parts spiritual guru, motivational speaker, teacher, philosopher, best listener you’ve ever met, role model, comforter, disciplinarian, and always seem to know exactly what to say and do at all times whenever you need them most.

One of Will’s most famous songs is called “Parent’s Just Don’t Understand”. If that is true, then he should write another called, “Grandparents Seemingly Know It All”. There is some crazy metamorphosis that must take place as you transition from the role of parent to grandparent where you don’t know anything to understanding everything. That’s my best guess at this point. I’ll learn the secrets if I’m blessed to ever acquire this role someday.

What I loved most about Gigi’s story, is when Will described her last few weeks and months here on this Earth when everyone knew her time was almost up. I’m paraphrasing, but he described her last few weeks as not sad; rather, it was more of a celebration of her life. He said thinking of Gigi’s last few days left everyone with a smile on their face remembering how she had touched their lives. Gigi lived a life filled with actions of what she valued most…her family, friends, giving, and the church. Everyone that had every known her had seemingly benefited from being in her presence.

My Granny is no different. I’m blessed that my Granny is still here with us and I have the opportunity to learn as much as I can from her in person while I still can…and I plan to soak up as much as possible. However, I know that when whenever that day comes for her to leave this Earth, the reaction will be the same as how Will described Gigi’s last few weeks. We won’t be sad; we’ll just feel blessed that we got to be a part of her life and soak in all the incredible lessons we’ve learned from observing how she went about her life.

If I have one wish in this world, it would be blessed enough to live a life like Gigi’s where everyone around me smiles when they think of the impact I had on them after I leave this Earth. The only way I know how to do that is to always make sure that I’m leading by example and practicing what I preach by living a life filled with actions of what I value most.

I’m confident that if I do that, I’ll have made my Granny and Gigi proud!

Question: Who is someone in your life that whenever you think of them you smile?

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What is The Year of Magical Learning? An Introduction

YOML Podcast Discussion - Coming Soon

YOML Bookstore - Will by Will Smith and Mark Manson