Twenty-one years since I was injured in basic training. Twenty-two years since I was medically discharged from the Army due to the injury. My body failed me, the doctor that ignored me about my ankle failed me; that a simple surgery seventeen years later could fix the ankle. That my dream escaped me and I have never managed to let go and accept the fact is my own shortcoming.
So year in and year out I find myself trapped in the same rut; dreaming about woulda, coulda, shoulda. Wanting desperately to find a way back into the Army, to prove to myself that I am not weak, not a failure; to achieve my dream. This of course ignores the reality that my body is still broken, that I have other health issues that have developed over the years from other injuries.
What does it take to get past this type of life changing event? How do I accept something I don’t want to accept and try to move on with my life? These are the thoughts that trap me and keep me imprisoned.
I know and understand that I am not unique in my struggles. Nor do I write this to complain about my life. This is about gaining understanding of my own struggles and working towards a solution. I want to reach the point where I live my life with no regrets.