A Somber Couple of Weeks for Earth

Hello readers. It has been a longer stretch than usual that I have updated you all on my whereabouts and experiences; I apologize for that. One simply forgets about these things when on an international scouting mission. I will say however, in m latest two weeks of observation here on Earth, the mood has been rather… down. Both through my keen eyes flying over the globe as well as through my newest favorite hobby of “The Internet”, it appears that the last couple of weeks have not been the kindest to humans. Tragic events have apparently left the Earth people emotionally and physically drained as a collective.

Upon becoming aware of the general solemn energy filling the atmosphere, I naturally became curious. This planet was not often like this to my experience, after all. There was usually a hustle-bustle, a buzz that never truly dipped until now. And so, to the trusted “Internet” I went, where I was met with somber news: The death of a great man, Kobe Bryant. Take heed of the implications when I say great. I have been on this planet for not too long. I was not here for the bulk of his lifetime, and did not witness his accomplishments in real time. But even I can see the range of his influence upon this world, and how much he meant to this world. For those of you that do not know who this Bryant man is, I was in your place as well. How is it that one man, one insignificant human, could evoke so much mourning, such empathy from the world as a whole? Surely he could not have had such a connection with all of these individual human beings? I dove into my research imitatively, and found this Kobe Bryant to be a former professional human athlete; one that played the game of ‘Basketball’. Now, it was here that I slowly began to understand the implications of human sports. On my world, we too play games, but for enjoyment, for casual time pass and amusement. The most competitive our games would get would be to settle petty wagers, establish some worst of trivial dominance over one another, and such. But here. Here sports define people, places, time itself! This simple game of ‘Basketball’ was more effective at uniting the people on this planet than anything has ever done on my home. The passion, the awe, and the dedication to these games, these sports, on this planet dwarfs anything I could compare it to from where I originate. Past this passion however, I discovered just what it was about this man that set him apart, that brought him this godlike admiration. He was the definition of a warrior. He pushed through hardships, inhibitions, mediocrity, and injury to establish himself as one of the most accomplished athletes of human history. His constant fuel for greatness brought results, and ignited a fire under so many others. He was an inspiration, an icon, a leader. And so I finally understood the severity, the loss of his passing. This was not just some human. This was a being that transcended differences and distance, that overcame the need for a personal connection. This was a man who touched people so deeply with his ideals, his actions, and his beliefs that the entire world stood still upon his death. I had never experienced this type of influence before. I have never felt so small, so insignificant. While my physical capabilities can provide so much, the ability to inspire, to mean something to that many people. Incredible. I offer my condolences to these humans. It seems that they lost a legend.