Money Can't Buy Life

Legend. The greatest of all time. Best performer in the world, Rastafari. All of these terms describe one man... Bob Marley. I can't believe 40 years ago today, we lost this legend of music to cancer. He was only 36 years old, but he left an indelible mark on the entire world. As the Ambassador of reggae music, he opened up the door for many island cultures. Millions got to see their culture shine in the spotlight. Many saw their music being performed on some of the greatest stages in the world. Most took pride when seeing their lifestyle being portrayed in a positive light. Bob Marley:s music was politically correct, if you will, to describe the everyday situations that were happenng on the island. At this time, Bob Marley continues to be a legend 40 years after his death. You can't go anywhere in the Caribbean- in any tourist spot- on any cruise ship- anywhere without hearing his music. His music is timeless. It is classic. Bob Marley is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and his music will always stand the test of time. As the feel good reggae music maker, Bob Marley took his role very seriously as an ambassador of the country. Upon his death, the Prime Minister of the country delivered his eulogy. What was quoted is quite a bit much. Truthfully, the way that he spoke of this king- this jewel- this crown prince of Jamaica- truly struck a chord in everyone's heart. A portion of his speech reads as follows:

His voice was an omnipresent cry in our electronic world. His sharp features, majestic looks, and prancing style a vivid etching on the landscape of our minds. Bob Marley was never seen. He was an experience which left an indelible imprint with each encounter. Such a man cannot be erased from the mind. He is part of the collective consciousness of the nation.

But what did Bob Marley really stand for? What connotations did his music bring up for you? What drew me most to this creative genius was the fact that he managed to combine his music with his beliefs. Oftentimes we talk about the political crises and situations around the world. Even today, with the conflict rising in the Middle East between Israel and Palestine, conflicts were arising throughout the island as far as how people were being treated. Bob Marley spoke to this, to the point where there was even an assassination attempt on his life. He and his wife survived, and for his safety, he moved to London. Again, this man was 36 years old when he passed. So many strides have been made in cancer research and cancer cures. So many strides have been made on the political scene. So many strides have been made in life in general. I have to believe a part of that is his music. As a fellow Aquarius, music is life to us. His final quote to his son Ziggy, was that money can't buy life. This is a mantra. This is an affirmation. This is really the calling card that we need to remember upon today because money can't buy life. All the money in the world won't save you when your time comes. Bob Marley was buried with his guitar, but he couldn't take it with him. So, what is your dream? What is your focus in life? He believed in his religion. He believed in what he was saying. He believed in the tenets of his treatment, to make sure that it was a holistic approach without having a lot of the chemical substances. He shunned the treatments that were available at the time. He lived his life the way he wanted, and he lost his life the way he wanted. He did what he needed to do. He was a rebel. He was a man, and he stood face to face with the challenges of life. And to this day we still talk about him. We still revere him. Long after we're dead and gone, his music will live on. We want to do things that will last. We want to make an impact on this world. Make the world feel the fact that we were on this earth for some period of time. Now, is everyone going to reach the level that Bob Marley did? Probably not. If what you can do leaves a mark on anyone, you continue the values that you poured into them. That is a blessing. Anything that you can do to make this world a better place- especially during this pandemic- is the right thing to do. We could argue religion all day long. But this man stuck to his principles. This man stuck to his heart. This man stuck to his rights. And that is why people loved him because he stood for everything that he believed in. There was no sugarcoating. There was no falsehoods. There was no fakeness. His life is a reminder to us that we need to be authentic. We need to claim who we are and make our stake in the world. So what are you prepared to do to make your life'ss impression? What is your impact on the world going to be? What will you have them write on your tombstone? What do you want people to say about you? nce you are dead and gone? Something to truly think about. Please share your comments below. Thank you for reading this article and supporting this blog space. Stay safe, warm and healthy. Take Care and God Bless!!!