This is more of a venting post than anything else. I’m 38 years old and have been practicing Taekwondo for about 2.5 years. I recently earned my red belt, but I tore my ACL while attempting a kick off a wall jump. It was a poor decision on my part, and I probably should have recognized that I’m not in the best shape for moves like that. That said, I truly love Taekwondo and really want to return when I’m able. My dojang has an amazing community, and I’ve made several close friends there. It has become a genuine “third place” for me. I think I underestimated how significant this surgery would feel, not just physically but emotionally too. Now that I’m four days post-op, the reality is setting in: I’m going to be away from something I love for a while. I keep telling myself to be patient and focus on healing. I was still about a year away from black belt, and I had already committed to continuing toward my second-degree black belt someday, so I know I have years of training ahead of me.…