THIS OLD HOUSE My son Chris has co-created a video series called Im Not a Star (INAS). This series opens his life to his fans so that they can see glimpses of what his professional and personal life is like. The INAS series started with Episode I, which captured Chris first efforts and struggle to return to the NBA, back home in the US after a stint in the Euroleague in Italy. The series establishes the lean times of Chris first stint in the NBA D League, aborted attempts to return to the NBA with temporary contracts with the Knicks and Dallas, up through his recent partial season success with the Charlotte Hornets. There was a lot of life happening in these condensed life snapshots. Chris became a father, developed a life strategy, committed to a life partner (Raven) and retrospectively looked at his young life so far. Which brings me to the point of these comments. The latest of the Im Not a Star chronicles, Episode V (Part One), was filmed in part in our old neighborhood, on the block. This is the same neighborhood where so much of our lives were spent. There stood our old house, once so full of life - our lives. The house where my sons were raised, nurtured, loved and taught. The house my parents first bought in 1954 and raised my brothers and sisters there. I later raised Chris and his brother in that house. It hosted our birthday and graduation parties, family cookouts in the 100 feet lot that was its backyard, unforgettable holiday festivities and was the meeting place for me and my sons friends. I planted beautiful roses that over the course of the years spanned the entire expanse of the front yard and engulfed the porch. It contained a couple of my mothers antique furniture pieces that I polished to mirror perfection. This house was the proud holder of so many happy and sad memories that constitute my precious family history. So my heart was torn to see the wretched condition of the house and neighborhood today in Episode 5 of Chris INAS series. Today the house stands broken and ramshackled. There is little evidence left of its once proud bearing. All that is left is disrepair. It was almost like seeing an old friend that has fallen on hard times. Neighborhood scavengers left a gaping hole after the special stained glass window was ripped out. The house has been gutted of plumbing and electrical fixtures. There are gaping holes in the roof. Squatters have been unkind as they sought temporary shelter. The windows have been boarded to avert removal. Doors have been stolen. It now stands as a ravaged memory of a whole lot of living. It still is the final repository for a lot of my family history. When I read peoples comments about how inspiring Chris success from his humble beginnings is after they watch the INAS series, I realize they are only seeing the hulk of our house that once had shiny windows that beamed, manicured lawns with plants and flowers, music blasting from my sons sound systems, a kid with a basketball that pounded his own rhythms day in and day out, 8 feet tall Christmas trees, parties and picnics, beautiful furniture and cabinetry, pristine clean rooms, the smell of fresh cobblers and charbroiled burgers and the laughter of family who loved each other. The video watchers dont know the proud history of that shell of a house on that video. But I do. I like to think that even in its final throes, in the end, the old house served to inspire others to be optimistic about the value of hard work and dedication to achieve a better future. If they only knew... (Episodes 1-5 of the Im Not a Star Series are available on You Tube.)
Posted on: Wed, 09 Jul 2014 04:12:18 +0000
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