Pandemic Basketball

By Zamir, Age 9

“Hope!” A powerful word… A word that reminds me of my grandpa. I just recently lost my best friend, an amazing dad, an amazing grandfather, and a man that gave everything he could to his community and more. I really didn’t know what to do. I felt like part of me was missing. I did everything with him. I was in a slump, but I was great at hiding it. It took me a number of years to truly deal with the loss of someone who meant so much to me. I really didn’t feel like doing much on my own. No one could replace what we had together.

How could it get worse…but then in late 2019, this virus that people were calling Covid-19 started. Things got worse. “Way worse”. I had to stay home and do nothing, I couldn’t see friends, I couldn’t go outside, and couldn’t go anywhere. “What was I supposed to do?” 

This is when I discovered the sport of Basketball. I felt “alive”.

This is when I discovered the sport of Basketball. I felt “alive”. It really helped me. It didn’t replace my loss, but I started watching and playing this sport. I don’t know how to describe the joy that instantly hit me. Maybe the pandemic wasn’t so bad after all?