Later in the day I noticed one of my athletes who seemed really down due to his injury. He looked sick because he felt that he had no control over his situation and wanted to be training so badly. Not five minutes later, a young lady came up to me with pain where her stress fracture had been. I could see the pain in both of their eyes. I gave the usual “Keep your head up, and take it one day at a time” speech.
I was asked by the young man if I ever get down? This really made me think about the face that I put on at work and with the majority of my friends. A quote I try to live by is “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.” I do think it is important as a coach and as a leader that I hide some of the pain I do go through, but I also think some people need to see that I too am human.
I currently have my ankle in a bucket of ice, I am searching for where I may be coaching next year, and I have been having a difficult time as I have lost several of my friends who I once thought were my best friends. I am averaging no more than an hour of sleep at a time right now. If I have ever been down and out, this is the time. I have had two great friends working overtime recently who are trying to support me, and I am hiding my pain fairly well.
So, how do I get through the pain? What do I do when I am injured? Similar to a theme I hope you have been picking up on is that I go to God. Going back to the quote above, it is so important to ask God for his help. He is my strength, and although you may not like what you hear, it may take true courage to act upon it. I asked the young man today if he felt a door had been slammed in his face. He answered, “Yes”. I then asked him, "Have you looked for that open window?" I, too, have doors slammed in my face. I feel as though I am standing in a dorm hallway with about 20 doors all being slammed shut, but with God's help, I am looking for that open window.
So, if you are in pain, go to God. If you are injured, go to God. The answer may not come quickly, and the healing may not either, but keep going to God, and he will deliver you to your destiny.
