Reality Check; Don't believe the hype

I have been playing basketball all my life and have played at a few different levels: middle school, Highschool, AAU, Camps, 3 on 3's, DII college. Three years ago I graduated college and no longer had an opportunity to play competitive team basketball. So I was exiled to the realms of local pick up bball. A funny things happens to your self-image when you go from playing competitive bball in college everyday to playing local pickup once or twice a week. As my old roommate would say "even glass looks like a diamond in a pile of poo". Basically what he was saying was I thought I was getting better and better while playing against lower level players. It was fun, I didn't have to hustle if I didn't want to, I didn't play defense very long, all the things that can be a drag when playing with a coach. It was really fun because I was not just another 6'6", 215lbs college guy, I was the "big man". I had people telling me how great I was every time I went out to play, instead of "Dang it Q, you aren't working hard enough" yelled by my coach on the sideline. Which leads me to the whole point of this story. I tried out for a semi-pro team. The first day I tried out I thought I was going to die. My lungs have never burned like that in my life, and I hope they never do again. I felt out of shape, (in actuallity, I was) I felt small, I felt slow, inadequate, and all of the other things a freshman feels like at his first day of high school. I seriously felt as though I was in fourth grade again and I was having trouble dribbling the ball. Did I get that bad that quickly, did I eat something that day that made me slow or tired? NO, the bottom line, I am just not that good. Basketball ability, or any ability for that matter, is relative. It is a tough pill to swallow, but the proof is in the pudding. I think every man, at some stage in their life, realizes that there are somethings that are out of his control. As hard as he may have tried to manipulate or perfect that elusive thing or ability, ultimately, it is out of his control and the way he deals with that is what defines that man's character.

Personally I had to realize this a few times. When I realized I am not a good enough guitar player to be a rock star, I am not a good singer, I am not good enough to be payed to play bball, I am not cool enough to date the most popular girl in high school (the elusive Kelly Carls, that one was really tough, but I tried over and over). But through all that "realizing", I came to the conclusion that I would much rather not be the best at those things than be bad at the things that matter. I am a good dad, I am a good husband and I am a good son, brother, grandson. I am a good churchmember. Best of all, it doesn't take an NBA scout or a record contract to prove I am a good person.