Israel.

"The ceiling that we were trying to break through is now the floor of a new dimension."

?...!

So there I was......

Shooting around with a guy pal of mine as I attempt to regain my range of motion in my right knee. I wore a black brace that pretty much ran from my thigh to my shin...which made it quite difficult to play, but I managed.

After noting how fundamentally sound he was, I ask'd, "Did you play in high school?" He told me did. & then I replied, "Dude, you're really good. Why are you not playing now?" He tells me he chose football above all, but he misses it.

After casually shooting, (because that's pretty much all I could do on that particular day), he ask'd, "Why are you not playing now?" After pointing to my brace, I explained the injury that's been discouraging me for the last two years...

We then both agreed on how we miss the organized sport & how we always knew we'd be play'n college ball, until we got to college...#sigh.

But seriously, not even an hour later, this man steps on the court & shakes my hand & tells me he's been watching my game & taking note of how I play. He coaches for a school nearby & would love for me to transfer & play. "But I'm hurt." But he assured me they have the ideal therapists that can get where I need to be.

We talked for a while; I had a lot of questions. He gave me his info & I said I'd keep in touch.

But what's crazy is: Any other day & at any other point in my life, I would've been stoked! Would've told him yes right away! Ain't nothing to think about!

But that's not the case now...

I'm really learning & developing myself. I'm now more than just a basketball player, so it's not that easy to just drop everything & run...

Well, my life will play out as it was planned...just gotta hear from the big guy that plan'd it...

"And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts."

2 Peter 1:19

Not So.

Hooked up with my pride…decided we'd catch up & kick it. Reminisced! Made me feel on top of the world…then he offered to take me higher…

Said he had something to show me…I'm interested. "You've never really let me down before."

Took me on an adventure…

But it felt too familiar. I couldn't really say "Thank You", because I felt some kind of way afterwards…

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed kick'n it with my pride, but I just wasn't too comfortable with the end results…

I felt like pride went too far.

Invaded my relationships…interfered with my integrity.

Influenced me. Had me making decisions I wouldn't normally make…

Decisions…Decisions…

My aunt always told me, "Pooh, it's the choices we make..."

The choices we make.

Unfortunately, I never heard her say, "Pooh, it's the consequences that await..."

But I shouldn't have had to. I should've known.

I knew.

Yet acted.

The choices we make…

Good ol pride…still tryna be down.

After all the damage…

Still tryna be down…

Sigh…

Not so.