Certain things are going to knock you straight on your ass. This pic is the day after my knee was completely wrecked back in 2011. ACL, MCL, PCL, 2 teeth knocked out both of which went straight through my lower lip, a broken nose, and a concussion. All this with a 6 month pregnant wife at home. This injury would eventually completely change my career and life.
A 12 month recovery was ahead of me. I turned that 12 into 6 and made it back for a Calder Cup Finals run with the Toronto Marlies. Now granted in the long run this probably was not the smartest of moves, pressing my rehab so hard a times ;-). We never know what is going to happen. We take so many things in our lives for granted: the people around us, our families, our health, our jobs. This was the biggest shock to my system I had up to that point in my life, but what an amazing lesson it was.
Overall the dark times define us. They show us the light. Force us out of our comfort zone. Show us that the crystal ball we all hope for is not only non existed, but unneeded . Embrace the suck, enjoy the grind and your process, absolutely everything is possible even when the mountain looks unclimbable. Sometimes the best things are coming when they seems so far away.
Matt Lashoff 