I drained my first three ten foot jumpers in my first game back on the court last week. Sometimes I have beginner’s luck when I’ve been away from the game for a while, but it had been months since I last played, so I was anxious, not to mention a bit out of shape. I ended the game (a last second comeback win) with ten points, a sore left arch, a tender Achilles tendon, an achy back and a smile.
I went to bed nervous that when I woke up my shoulder might be frozen again, back to what had become an ongoing cycle of pain over the last nine months. Night being the worst with both a bad shoulder and bad wrist, rolling over had been nearly impossible and sleep was always in question. But when I woke the next morning, my shoulder worked and even though I could barely walk when I stepped out of bed, I was still smiling.
I’m not sure what I’ll do when I can’t play this game anymore, probably shoot around and do dribbling drills like I do every time I’m hurt, but somehow that is never the same. I like it, but there is something about running the full court with a bunch of players that makes playing (game or scrimmage) a huge step up from skill work.
Why am I telling you this besides the fact that playing again makes basketball on the forefront of my mind? I’m telling you this because I’m urging you to enjoy the game. When you have bad game, be thankful that you are playing at all and try to reminder that you will have good days and bad days on the court, and in life for that matter.
My husband’s new saying, as we have both hit fifty, has become, “because I can.” Why are you getting up at 5:30am to work out?”… “Because I can.” “Why are you riding the 120 mile, elevation Death Ride?”…“Because I can.”
No matter your age, use this thought process to get you out doing the things you love more and more everyday, or have it help push you to work harder on those things that may not always be fun, aka practice, because in the end you will be better and stronger, and of course, you should do it, because you can.
What would you like to do more of or add to your life because you can? Now’s the time, just go out and do it!
