Victory

A rusty orange found in the closet of the gym
Textured in its own unique pattern
Something that can’t be replicated
Victory

The smell of your gym locker
The way the scent of worn basketball shoes and pre-wrap puff out at the click of the lock when you’re getting ready for practice
Victory

The burning pain you feel when you sprint for hours at practice
And I mean with your heart,
Not just your legs.
Victory

That battle you face on the court
Yes, of course with your opponent,
But what about that battle within yourself; the one striving to work harder?
Victory

Because victory isn’t always about the big thing
That’s what success is.
Victory is when you defeat and conquer all those small struggles
You face when no one is watching

Victory is when you can see yourself
No, not in a mirror
In your head
Imagining your goal and seeing yourself achieving it despite what may be in the way

Victory is when you recognize your weakness
Yet find the strength somewhere inside of you to work on it
It’s when you’d rather give your all and be in blood, sweat and tears
Rather than live without ever stepping on the court again

Victory is when you do.
It’s when you actually act upon all of these thoughts.
It’s when you want something so bad enough
You literally feel as if though you are that something and know that you’d be absolutely, utterly lost
Without it