Kickball

A word of advice and trust me on this one.  When life presents you with the opportunity to play kickball, say no and run away as quickly as you can!  Every good kickball game needs amazing fans.  Be one!  It’s funny how life works.  To think participating in a kickball game actually started me on this 20 month journey is absolutely CRAZY!  But it did.  The good news, though, is that I am here today to tell about it.

Exercise (specifically running) and teaching were two of my favorite hobbies.  Running was a stress reliever and therapy for my soul.  My day never truly felt the same without experiencing that “runners high.”  And teaching wasn’t just a job for me.  I LOVED it.  These were two of my all-time favorite things.  Ironically, playing kickball while at school ripped those two things away from me.  I can actually say literally and figuratively.

Thinking back to that day, I wouldn’t change it for anything because I was doing two of the things I love.  Although, for the last 19 months I didn’t really feel that way.  This is a new revelation.  At first, I was angry with myself for participating. I mean, seriously, what the heck was I thinking?  Should a 47 year old really be playing kickball?  At school?  In the gym?  Probably not!  But it was for the kids, so that made it okay for me.  I’m sure none of those things went through my head that day.

You are probably thinking that I fell while trying to kick the ball.  Not so much.  Maybe that would have been less humiliating.  Actually, I was running toward third base, minding my own business when BA BAMMM!  I fell.  Fell to the ground, crushed it.  As if falling in front of the ENTIRE school wasn’t painful enough, fierce pain immediately took over my left leg and foot.  It was excruciatingly painful.  Worse than child birth.  (Sorry guys, you just won’t be able to relate!)  Falling while playing kickball that day was the most painful, embarrassing and life changing event in my 47 years of life.  Horrific, really.

That day, May 17^th, 2016, was the day my life changed.  Not to be dramatic, but falling on the gym floor and what came after has been a life changing event.  Something I’m trying to learn from.  Something that’s brought pain every day.  Something that I will remember forever.  God will get me through this, I know He will.  I also know He has great things waiting for me at the end of this particular journey.  Somedays, I really have to convince myself of that.  Pain does that to your brain.  To mine anyway.  Wouldn’t it be hilarious if I ended up being a kickball coach??