Many of the baskets I made were off long range jumpers but I also scored a lot off putbacks after an offensive rebound.  For someone with my height and jumping ability – or really lack thereof – I was a good rebounder.  For me, it was about positioning, angles, anticipation, and timing.  I just knew or felt where the ball would end up after a missed shot. 

This is all relevant to what I realized recently – that many of my major life events came with some type of hiccup and usually after multiple attempts.  These included being with my first love, getting into law school, becoming a DA, getting married, going to Boston, getting an internship to the UN in Austria, defecting to the NYPD, and probably others I’ve forgotten about.  This was the story of my life.

Like rebounding the ball, it is about persistence, timing, positioning, and the other factors I’ve mentioned.  Tenacity and perseverance goes a long way to compensate for ability and resources.  

But I also think this is about faith and belief – not just second chances or attempts.

I just knew where and what I needed to be.  And in some cases, who I needed to be with.  Closed doors can open and at the end of it all, God is a good locksmith or even lock picker.  After an initial disappointment, I would often try to stay calm and retain as much faith as possible.  And usually, the timing would work out better on the later attempt.

This life is full of challenges – many out of our control as well as self-inflicted.  But there is something about grace and providence amidst the brutality, chaos, and seeming randomness.  I met all the right people I needed – allies and antagonists alike.  Went to all the places I needed to go – heaven and hell.   And what I did – both the memorable and mistakes – these were all accounted for.

Oh how I loved making the shot from the top of the key and the surprised looks I’d get for the range I had (anything within half-court).  But real life wasn’t quite like that.  A basket is still a basket, however, and an ugly win is still a win.

If anything, I learned that there is rarely such a thing as never, especially if God or the universe wills it.     In some ways, scoring off the rebound is more satisfying as it in some ways requires more work.  It’s very Washington Bullets like in the workman and often painful way in which they scored.

Just never give up.  

Get there somehow.