So...its been a minute since I last posted, sorry about that if you were concerned. Life has just been life. hectic, busy, etc. My kids are now 20, 17, and 7, and that alone is enough to make me tired, but add work and extra-curricular, preparing my second to head off to college and my oldest to continue with college, at home or at school...mix in an energetic 1st grader who thinks she's a teenager and life is moving at the speed of light. So, needless to say we are busy around here, but that's not what I want to 'chat' about in this post.
2020, huh? It has been a year of 'all of the above', right? Challenging and stressful, inspiring and frustrating, historical and new all at the same time. It has also been an extreme amount of change for everyone. Changing how we live our daily lives. How we communicate with each other. How we get along with each other. How we work, play, and even socialize with each other. Our holidays have been different, our 'everyday' has been different. Yet, if you are reading this, you have survived...if nothing else, 2020 has made survivors of all us!
It's this surviving aspect I wanna talk about for just a minute...and if you will indulge me, since it is December and even though its '2020' and the season has looked somewhat different, I want to tie this survivor mentality I discussed above into football. My oldest attends the University of Central Florida, home of the UCF Knights. In 2017, the Knights who play in the American Athletic Conference, had an undefeated regular season and then capped off an undefeated season, beating Auburn in the 2018 Peach Bowl. It was an amazing feat for this team who was lead by their outstanding quarterback, Sophomore Mackenzie Milton. What was amazing about this was UCF had finished the previous season just 6-6, and the year before that they were 0-12. So for this Milton-led team to go undefeated and to even beat a big time CFB school like Auburn in the Peach Bowl was impressive to say the least.
However, even though the school's AD claimed UCF were National Champions, and they had a legitimate right to claim that as the only undefeated D1 team that year, the mainstream media and the CFP crowned Alabama National Champions that season with their win in the CFP Championship game. This only appeared to motivate Milton and the Knights even more as the next season the continued their undefeated streak throughout the regular season and even into their Conference Championship in 2018. However on the way to the second undefeated regular season, tragedy happened to Milton in the last regular season game against UCF's rival USF. In the second quarter of this highly contested game, Milton was running the ball and was tackled by multiple USF players with one hitting him directly on the knee. The violent tackle dislocated Milton's knee and caused severe damage to the nerves and arteries in his leg. Milton was rushed to the hospital and emergency surgery was performed to save the knee. Milton would require several surgeries and even through several setbacks and additional surgeries to his repaired knee were required, Milton persevered and survived the ordeal to return to playing football this season.
He just most recently decided to leave UCF and transfer to another school because, while he still has a dream (and most likely the ability) to pursue a career in college football and possibly the NFL, he realized the the UCF team he was leading when he was injured two years ago, is not the same team now. It has a new leader in quarterback Dillon Gabriel and to Milton, whom Gabriel is a close friend, a competition for that role with Gabriel doesn't seem right. Milton is more concerned with messing up the good thing Gabriel and UCF have currently by trying to unseat Gabriel as the QB, rather than up-rooting his college career and going someplace new and finding his starting spot again. Those that know Milton will tell you that is just his high-quality character and that this is the main reason, Milton is cherished by UCF players, coaches and fans as well as why he will be dearly missed.
This is the prime example of what, this surviving I am speaking of above looks like. Milton not only went through an excruciating injury and an extremely long recovery and rehabilitation timeline that included setbacks and additional surgeries, but the emotional toll taken on not knowing if he would ever be able to return to football must have been tremendously enormous. And then, when he does finally get back to playing shape and ability, his place is no longer available and now he has to make the tough decision to be the back up or leave, all while considering his teammates, coaches, and staff also. Selfless and a survivor...that is what I call Mackenzie! He will forever be a Knight to all who watched him play at UCF...Mahalo Mackenzie!
Interestingly, a similar occurrence happened during this timeframe with NFL QB Alex Smith, who also suffered what may have initially been thought to be a career ending broken leg in November 2018. Smith didn't give up and worked his way back after several surgeries and rehab to make it all the way back to NFL this season and eventually returning to the starting QB position for the Washington Football team. He even helped them to an upset win over previously undefeated Pittsburgh a few weeks ago. Smith is definitely a survivor and has shown us all how persistence and perseverance can pay off.
Why did I bring up these two football players and their stories? Yeah their stories are interesting and maybe even to some inspirational as they overcame insurmountable odds to return to doing what they love to do. Yet, I know that inspirational stories won't pay your past due electric bill or put food on the table or in pantry which has gone bare since your were laid off due to the global pandemic earlier this year. I know right now things may seem tough and you may not feel like you have the strength or the will to go on. Like you won't even make it through the day. And though I wish I could give everyone who needs food or money those things that they need, I unfortunately am not able to do that for everyone.
I can encourage you to not give up! You are a survivor! If you are reading this and feel like you have reached the end...you haven't! You have just reached the beginning of the next chapter in the story. The next part in your timeline where the tides turn, the momentum shifts to your side, and you begin the comeback you were created for! You have a creator who created you for just this moment in time and in your life. He gave you the power and the strength and the will and the desire to climb out of the valley you have been in and to reach the top of the mountain you are climbing. And when you get there, your story will be the one that encourages others to keep climbing their mountains too! God bless you and remember, 2020 is making survivors at of all of us!
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