REDEMPTION

Its really funny how life works, how God makes His paths for us to take and be prepared to travel and stay traveling, no matter how hard. It has been a tough season, a rough and tough journey full of ups and downs, and many good times and few bad ones... but through it all, it has been a great learning experience.
Basketball has taught me a lot of things, but life, and more importantly, the way that it must be aproached, and more precisely, the great advises my baby has given me, have proven to me that there is a lot more out there, that at the same time, will help me see bball better. Sounds very complicated, I know, but I think it finally printed on my forehead and onto my brain.
Now its time to see it through, and after a very long season, what could be better than finish it where it all started, at the gym where it all began, and where I fell down, lost it in transition, but return to prove my worth..... how sweet is that, how rewarding it can be if, God willing, I see everything I've visualized since that day when the season began on that track field... It will be tough, it will be extremely demanding, but the sweet feeling of REDEMPTION will overcame it all.

May our God see it through as well...
Thank You Popps

Searching... Running

Give me grace and chemicals, I wanna run into them.... Such a great song, such a great chorus, so small so powerful, yet so simple, so small.... In these small things I've come to find peace as of lately, in some tough times once again, in the rollercoaster we call life.

What's going on? what's happening? I keep asking myself, while my chest keeps being pressured more and more. It's a very weird feeling, a very strange sensations that I've never had before, that I've never experienced before for such a long span, only in small doses when a new situation arose, or something big was about to happen... Is that it? something big is about to be... Who knows... All I know is that I'm sitting here, having the same feelings, and thinking the same thoughts I had during that long year and a half where everything was black, everything was slow, and everything came at the wrong time...

Everything mixed up with a nervousness created by the fact that this is the worst season of my career so far, in every aspect... Maybe I had to many expectations, too high, or too demanding. Or maybe I had an idea, or a plan that never went through, and now I cant, nor I know how to recalculate my route... Like I said before, it's time to start form scratch, to go back to the basics, and re-do everything from the begining, from the very very begining... Am I ready?

Let me just run into those flowers....

Back to Basics

Long time, no talk, no write... Many things have occured in this year and a half, and after carefully disecting them, I must reset...

Coming Home...

Never thought that a plane touching down could actually be felt in the bottom of my heart... At that exact moment I felt peace and joy, filled with hope and very good vibrations. As corny as it sounds, that is the most accurate description I can come up with, to transmit what I felt arriving at the place where it all began, where I first saw the light and felt the air of a newborn life... I'm Home... and couldn't be happier about it.

The summer was beginning to go the same direction, down the same path that I walked last year, where, although one of my biggest learning experiences, my life was as doubtfull as it's ever been. The only option I had, the only way I could avoid that without losing my mind in the attempt was coming to the only place I thought wasn't good enough, it wasn't cool enough to be here... How wrong I was....

It's only been a day, but I already feel the positive effects of this visit, emotionaly and mentally. Although my body feels ready to go, the extenuating trip will not allow such readiness until rest is assured. But above all of the previous, I'm at the beginning, at the source, where it all started and where my soul rejuvenates and becomes one with me again... Ready to go, ready to start.

As it was once said: "Mas vale volverse atras, que perderse por el camino..."
I'm back, and soon I'l turn around to make that way again, better than before, stronger than before.

3W - 0L

Playoffs won, goal accomplished, season objective completed. It is all said and done, the race is over and after a long fought battle, we have finished on top, making the best out of the year and giving it to the faithful fans, our willing sponsors, and our hard working selves. But after all the champaing bottles are opened, and the last call bell rings, it is inevitable to analyze the season, and everything that happened along the way.

In the end, I'm extremely happy, happy that we won it, and also happy that it's over. The year has been extremely long, weeks went by in slow motion, and the beast named routine, which we always tried to avoid, crept on us many times. On the personal level, my basketball IQ has increased dramatically thanks to this year, to the practices, and the moments, I mean, many many moments I spent on the bench. Although hard, and at times heartbreaking, not playing has giving me a whole new perspective of this game I love. I've also learned from true professionals of this sport, people that has played in the highest level in this country, and that took me under their wing to make me a better player, but also a better person.

There's nothing more to say, nothing more to commet, all there's left are memories, moments, laughs, tears, and the feeling of reaching the goal we fought so hard for 10 months. There's nothing like it.
Thank you all, starting with you Father, for one of the toughest yet most productive seasons of my life. You'll always keep a place in my heart........

Fundacion ADEPAL 2007 - 2008

1W - 0L

Just as the music flows through the air, my thoughts are flying everywhere in complete disorder. I'm trying to be happy about it, I really am, but maybe because I'm being selfish, or because I wanted it too bad, I can't really be happy... It's just a game, another familiar situation and feeling, but a totally unexpected reaction in my part. Maybe because I wanted it really bad, or because I want to redeem myself in the same stage I once failed, or maybe because I felt ready like never before... And the wheels of my confused mind keep going around and around, feeling the same emptiness, and the intended happiness that hardly shows up. I just hope I can sleep this off, because it is not going to get any easier... Tomorrow will be a new day... hopefully.

Thank You Lord for bringing us to victory, for supporting our teammate and brother, and for being with us during such trying times.

In the end, all that matters is that we won, regardless of my feelings, but once again, the fight in my heart and inside my mind keeps wearing me down... until when?

1 Year After...

What does success exactly mean? When does a person become successful? I was once told that it happens when you achive what you've always wanted in life. I was once made to believe that it occurs when you get to that place that you've always wanted to go... Some of it may be true, some may be false, but inside of it all, one becomes successful when has been able to move past all those obstacles, those blocks that stop and slow down the march to the ultimate goal. Does it sound like a cliché? Maybe, but in my life, more exactly in this moment of my life, I am starting to get to that point...

A year has gone by since that evening, that moment when a whole season slipped through my fingertips... some said that moment wasnt it all, it wasnt the main reason for the most painful loss I've had to endure in my career... But in my heart, my mind, my soul, I knew that layup triggered it all... But I learned that day, through pain, bitterness, mostly with my own self, and disappointment, that some things happen for a reason; a reason that at the time I didnt fully understand, but I now see, feel, and experience.

Why successful then? You got over it? Is that a success? No it's not. Although difficult, although I was always reminded of that play, getting over the loss was something I had the obligation of doing, as it is my job. The real success comes when I get over the toughest year of my young basketball career. A year full of disappointments, of tough times, injuries, reminders, lost opportunities, injustice, and above all, learning experiences... My Loving God gave me another chance, and He made me work for it, He made me work at it. He put me in a team where the going was rough, and the days where demanding. And here I am, sleepless the night before the biggest game in these playoffs, ready to go, ready to take back what I lost a year ago. It wont be easy, and above all it will be more demanding than ever... But as we all know, The Lord never gives you something you cant handle... Thank you Father for this year, for all that You have taught me, and for all that I've learned, because without You, nothing would've happen the way it has.

"Desire and Determination must overcome Pain and Disappointment"

Philipians 4:19 - But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

PD: Thanks Zack for the comment, and encouragement.