Instagram/@boobygang
Following his retirement from professional basketball, Daniel “Booby” Gibson was on his way to stamping the smaller footprint with a brief brief message: “Growing up is overrated.” The accompanying teddy bear emoji sent much affection affirming the athlete’s sentiment, emotion which many agreed with.
Advertisement
With a career somewhat equally divided between seven seasons of NBA basketball, heavily for the Cleveland Cavaliers, the impetus to express something for the world to understand that much is felt by others inspired the brief message from Mr. Gibson: “Growing up is overrated. 🧸” He expressed his own yearning for the carefree days of childhood and the feeling is mutual for many. The teddy bear emoji was a visual reinforcement of the nature that is nostalgic, indeed, childlike.
Comments poured in from Gibson’s fans and they definitely skewed positive. Many were complements on Gibson’s appearances. One said, “Lord this is one handsome man!” Another simply commented, “Very beautiful pictures of you Sir.” Comments centered on his appearance have been a common thing since he left the NBA days ago, indicating that his presence has been felt long after.
Aside from the countless comments with compliments on Gibson’s looks, there were many who were really engaging with the philosophy behind his statement. One response was actually quite constructive: “Seriously ! Feed that inner child daily 🧒👧.” This reinforces the idea that keeping a youthful spirit is there to be nourished, an active process required for wellness.
Another one chimed in, wholeheartedly agreeing with Gibson: “You ain’t never lied! Nice pics Booby,” with his nickname Booby, kind of intimate and shared, showing a long history with his fans. So widespread was the sentiment that yet another commenter added, “Man u can say that again!!!!,” again strongly emphasizing the wide agreement with these thoughts from the former athlete.
Some of the comments gave the post a sassy twist. “It really is! I cry about it more than I should lol. 😂” was a hilarious way of agreeing here, about loathing the actualities of adulthood. “My bestie has the same sneakers as me! 🙌😂,” on the other hand, changed the course of discussion quite a bit into a lighter one, relating to fashion.
An “unofficial guild” member gushed, “I wish I’d known you were down here. I would have come to say ‘HELLO from your #1 fan!’ If you’re EVER down here again, PLEASE let me know🙏🏽I’m on the second floor,” showing the imagined personal connection Gibson’s fans have between themselves and the man they want to meet.
Another user added high praise for Gibson, “He’s literally the goat on my dead,” putting Gibson in the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT) perch, in their view, with modern slang. Though certainly his professional basketball career saw some bright spots, not least among them his Three-Point Contest win, such a steadfast declaration of affection also speaks to Gibson’s enduring imprint and larger-than-life presence off the hardcourt.
Advertisement
The simple post gave into a universal feeling of nostalgia, which ultimately explores the often-neglected importance of nostalgia in keeping one’s inner child afloat. The passionate, diversified responses of the public show that the message was not just heard but felt at a very deep level. In an ever-matured world seemingly pushing adulthood, Gibson’s shout from the rooftops proved to be truly felt. His brief excursion into life philosophy not only reaffirmed the bond Gibson shared with his people but also showed that some of the simplest statements are the heavyweight among philosophy.
About the Author
