Have you ever faced a moment when life handed you not just lemons, but threw them at you with surprising force? That watershed moment when you realize no one is coming to save you, and somehow, you have to find your own way forward? That's exactly what happened to me on what started as an ordinary day shooting hoops.

One moment I was pivoting for a layup, the next I was on the ground with a searing pain shooting through my ankle. The distinct pop and immediate inability to put weight on my foot told me everything I needed to know: my Achilles tendon had ruptured. As luck would have it, an ambulance happened to be passing by. Perfect timing, right? Not quite.

After a quick assessment, the EMTs delivered the news: they couldn't transport me to the VA Hospital where, as an Army veteran, I knew I could receive care. They could only take me to a local hospital—where the cost would be prohibitive. In that moment, sitting on the basketball court with a completely debilitating injury, I faced a stark choice: pay money I didn't have or find another way.

The solution was as simple as it was daunting: I had to drive myself. This meant hopping a quarter-mile to my car on one foot, driving while my left Achilles throbbed in pain, finding parking, and then hopping through a massive parking garage to finally reach the hospital entrance. Only then, after completing this grueling self-rescue mission, did a nurse spot me and provide a wheelchair to take me to the emergency room.

Years later, I realized this painful journey paralleled the path many of us travel after divorce. When your life ruptures unexpectedly, you often discover that the support systems you expected might not be available in the way you need them. You're left with a choice: remain stuck or find a way forward on your own terms, even when it seems impossible.

Just as I had to focus on each painful hop toward my car rather than the intimidating quarter-mile journey ahead, rebuilding after divorce requires breaking down seemingly insurmountable challenges into manageable steps. The path isn't pretty—it's messy, painful, and sometimes embarrassing—but each step, however small, moves you forward.

What's most remarkable isn't just that you make it through these challenging journeys, but what you discover about yourself along the way. That internal strength you never knew you had becomes your foundation for building something even better than before.

When life leaves you injured on the court, remember that the game isn't over—it's just changed. The rules are different now, the strategies need adjustment, but your inner champion remains intact, ready to rise to the challenge.

Just as I eventually healed from that physical injury, you too will heal from the emotional injuries of divorce. And when you look back, you'll recognize that those painful hops across the parking lot weren't just about endurance—they were about discovering your capacity to overcome, adapt, and ultimately thrive in the face of adversity.