Woe is me? Oh, no please!

Injuries are tricky business. Just when you think everything is going right, you're feeling great, playing really well at practice, finally looking like you know how to play basketball (ok, this might be just specific to me), and then, all of a sudden, you can't anymore. Why? Because of a tiny tendon in your body that sends a stabbing pain up your leg with every step and prevents you from running, cutting, or jumping; things that are sometimes necessary in basketball. This is what happened to me a few days ago when I hurt my Achilles tendon during practice after a stint with Achilles tendinitis that just decided to turn from a minor stiffness to a debilitating injury. I should mention that we are at the point in the season where we are all fighting for playing time and competing to make each other better and set the foundation for our team. Perfect timing, huh?

The thing I have come to learn though, is you have to take things like this in stride and trust that you will be just fine. Perhaps it was even meant to happen. As many times as I have said "Woe is me" and sulked about a poor situation I was in, it never got any better and 99% of the time, I realized I wasn't in such a bad state at all, often seeing the benefits of my "poor" situation. God works in mysterious ways and requires that you put your faith in Him and know that He will lead you in the right direction (whether you know it or not). This does not get you off the hook though to merely have faith. As a close friend always says, you have to pray as though you sincerely believe the Lord will help you and act and live as though it is all up to you. In other words, I have to do my part to heal, stay positive, and strengthen myself, and God will do the rest. Sounds like a pretty fair deal to me.

So although I must currently gimp around in a truly attractive walking boot to nurse my crippled Achilles tendon, I haven't given up. I haven't quit. There's so much time still to prove myself and get better! Heck, maybe I'll even see that this was for the better. So, chin up, confidence high, and eyes facing the future. Besides, it's kind of cool that I have to deal with the same injury as a Greek God and War hero. I can live with that.