You are my solace

Everytime something sad has happened in my life, you were there for me. Everytime i needed comfort, I turned to you. When I'm there you, you take me to a place of solace. I can forget all the worries of the world. I forget about my job, my relationships, my friends, my family. All the troubles go away.

When I broke up with my girlfriend, I immediately sought your help. When I struggled with my job four years ago, I turned to you and you made it go away. After every exam, I played basketball to free my mind. When I needed you yesterday, I turned to you.

Basketball, you are my solace.

You are my comfort.

You are my rock.

When I'm there, I can be by myself. I can shoot around for hours. Pretending that I'm Michael Jordan in game 5 of the NBA finals. Or I am Kevin Garnett, 7 foot tall and unstoppable. Or I can play with 7 random other strangers in a game of pick up basketball.

I love you basketball, because you gave me a place to belong. A place to go when I needed peace. When the noises of the outside world became too deafening. When I needed to think and reflect. You've brought so much joy to my life. I've met you when I was 12, and I've never let you go.

Every day I would check up on you, to see the latest scores. To see the latest news. To hear what happened, to hear the dramas and the highlights. You were larger than life. You included me and you made me prove myself. You gave me something to look forward to on the weekends. If I look at my best friends, there is one thing we have in common.

A common thread that runs through all of us. Its basketball.

Basketball, you are my solace.

Take me to that place again.

DJ Ho.