The orthopedist sat at his desk facing a wall. He was jotting instructions on a pre-operative form. I was sitting in a chair up against the other wall staring at his back.
"Well, you know, you'll never run again," said the orthopedic surgeon without looking up.
At the time, in 1994, I understood he may be right. The words, sharp and pointed, plunged like a knife through my heart. I felt a bit short of breath.
"Uh...yeah. But what about unloaded running? " I replied.
"What? Well, yes. Unloaded would be OK, maybe. But, not full body weight. You know that though. I don't need to explain it to you. Do you need anything else? These instructions will outline everything you need before Tuesday," and he handed me the sheet of paper.
The surgeon assumed that, because I know a fair amount about joints, cartilage and what makes them better and worse, and that some people with a joint surface and meniscal injury cannot run again, I would share his opinion. I did not. I have learned that the more I learn, the more I have to learn. I am not even close to understanding all there is to know about joints, cartilage, pain, and loss of function. But, I do know this. You never take away a person's hope.
What is hope?
Hope is not wishful thinking. It is not, "I wish I could run...I wish I never had hurt my knee....I wish I could..." No. Hope rises out of truth. Reality serves as hope's foundation upon which you build your future. Hope requires something of you. You have to act. You cannot sit on the sidelines muttering under your breath that you wish your life was different. You make it different. You accept your current situation but never let go of your dreams regardless of how grandiose they may seem.
But, perhaps you are wondering, isn't that false hope? Is there such a thing? Is it OK to hold onto a dream no matter how absurd it may seem? Must we dash a person's dreams because we see no possibility of winning?
This time of the year is a favorite of mine: March Madness. College basketball at its very best for nearly a whole month. Every game produces a winner and a loser. I look for the winners on the losing team; the guys who, even though their team is down by 20 points with 30 seconds left in the game, play like it's a 2 point margin. Some people might argue, "Why bother? You won't win." True. But, it doesn't matter. The next time the score may be 2 points and guess what? You've been there. You know how to never quit. And, this time, you come out on top.
When you pursue something that is out of your reach, you stretch yourself physically, mentally and emotionally. The very act of pursuit changes you. And, everyone you meet is affected by your actions. Maybe the benefit of hope is not the end result. Maybe the benefit of hope is what is does to you.
No matter the score, how dire the situation, how badly you feel, never give up on hope. Hope is all you have. Hope fuels your dreams, changes you and ultimately determines who you will become.
Always have hope.
Make today count.
Doug Kelsey
Author. Speaker. Therapist.
