Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.
“Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.”
The mother recounting her experiences in Langston Hughes’ famous poem isn’t necessarily talking about poverty, though the dilapidated conditions she describes suggest a lack of means. But if we replace material things with the inner workings of hearts and minds, we realize that rich and poor alike can face the same journey, dealing with tacks and splinters, torn boards and bare floors, sometimes in the dark.
The message to that son, irrespective of family wealth, is to keep climbing, continue growing and going, no matter how hard you struggle. I’m certain that Allen Iverson can relate, even after earning more than $200 million in his career. Yes, if you’re gonna be unhappy either way, it’s better to have money. But there’s ample evidence that happiness can’t be bought at any price.
Iverson’s journey from a rough neighborhood in Newport News, Virginia, to the basketball Hall of Fame contained numerous disappointments and embarrassments. Setbacks include a racially fueled conviction for a bowling alley altercation that led to four months in prison for 17-year old Iverson before Virginia Gov. Doug Wilder granted a pardon. A lifeline from Georgetown coach John Thompson paved the way for Iverson’s iconic status as an NBA baller and cultural force. But it didn’t spare him from a messy public divorce, drinking too much and filing for bankruptcy. And it didn’t ease the hurt of being cut from the 2008 Olympic team.
By comparison, Shaquille O’Neal seems to have spent his life on a golden staircase. Dominant in college, overpowering in the NBA , and incomparable in business, Shaq has stretched boundaries for former ballplayers. Natasha Brison, a Texas A&M professor who specializes in athlete branding, told…
Read the full article here
