There was once a boy who grew up in Cleveland. He looked around and saw sorrow. For the people in the city had never seen a championship. Some of the old-timers would tell tales of a better time. The young boy told himself that one day he would bring a championship to his city. God smiled on him that day and said, “Yes, yes you will.”

He got older and moved away. He brought championships to other cities. Still though, his city remained trophy-less. People from other cities would point at them and mock them saying, “Look at that city. They are the worst of the worst.”

The boy enjoyed his success in other cities but his promise to himself was still there in the back of his mind. He went to sleep one night and woke up with a renewed sense of destiny. Love for his city burned with fiery passion. It was time to leave his success and go to the city of sorrows. It was time for the promise to come true.

He returned to the city. The mockers mocked louder. They threw rocks on their streets and shouted out, “Your city is doomed forever!” Every once in a while he was tempted to doubt the promise. But when he did, he felt God smile upon him once more and he knew the day was coming.

The time drew near and the greatest team ever was coming to the city to take down the boy’s team. If the promise would come true, it was going to have to be against the ultimate challenger. The boy fought with all of his love and all of his heart and they were within one minute of their long-lost championship. The boy went up for a dunk and was hit and fell to the ground. He laid on the floor in great pain.

The earth stood still and the moon blinked. All the people of the city drew silent. They had never been so close to their victory, and yet now their chosen one lay fallen. He cried out in agony. A mocker yelled out, “Stay down boy!” For a moment the boy considered that the man might be right. Perhaps it was over. The city of sorrow would remain without joy.

But the boy looked up once more. And the heavens were cheering him on. God was still smiling upon him. The city breathed one more breath of longing. The boy got up. With a wound in his hand, he hit the final shot. The mockers cried out and the city rejoiced.

The championship was theirs,

The boy did it,

His destiny fulfilled,

With a wound in his hand,

He hit the shot,

The city of sorrow,

Was now a city of joy,

And God smiled upon them all.