The Other Wes Moore

Basketball quickly becomes a getaway for Wes and his friends. What activities do you enjoy doing while trying to cope with difficult situations?

For Wes and his friends in The Other Wes Moore, basketball turns into an escape rather than just a sport. The court provides them with a location where everything else vanishes when life gets overwhelming, including the tension, commotion, pressure from their neighbors, and issues at home. The game gets peaceful during those times.

I was thinking about the things that provide me with the same kind of escape when I read this section. I know what it's like to require something to help you cope, refocus, and breathe again, even if my situation is so different from Wes's. When I'm feeling overwhelmed or trapped, I turn to soccer, my pets, and attempting new things.

Playing soccer is one of my favorite pastimes. I still get the same sensation of release from this sport that I grew up with. My mind ignores everything else when I'm on the field, including personal issues, deadlines, family obligations, and stress from school. Running, moving, and living in the present are my only priorities. I sometimes really need to use my body instead of overanalyzing things in my thoughts, which is what soccer requires me to do. I can emotionally reset just by kicking a ball around or having a fast game with my friends.

Spending time with my dogs and cats is another significant coping mechanism for me. To be honest, they are probably my favorite forms of comfort. Simply sitting with them calms me down if I'm upset, nervous, or stressed. Nothing makes me feel more at ease than taking my dogs on walks, playing with them, or even cuddling with my cats. Being around animals teaches me to slow down and take deep breaths since they experience emotions in a different, more gentle way. They only want love. they don't judge me or have high expectations. And on difficult days, that makes a significant difference.

I also attempt new things to help me deal, especially when I'm feeling stuck in my thoughts. Occasionally, I'll try a new pastime, go to a different location, try a different exercise routine, or simply change things up. In addition to providing me with something new to concentrate on, trying new things serves as a reminder that life is more than just the issue I'm now worried about. I become excited and break free from the cycle of tension when I attempt something new, whether it's cooking, going to the gym, painting, or even taking a new sport or class.

These three things, soccer, pets, and new experiences, all benefit me in various ways, but they all provide me with what Wes discovered in basketball as an escape. a method to escape the stress and rediscover who I am.

This section of The Other Wes Moore appeals to me because it highlights the significance of providing young people with healthy outlets. When everything around him was tugging him in dangerous ways, Wes found that basketball helped him stay grounded. My outlets help me maintain a sense of balance and get through difficult times. They serve as a reminder that although if I have no control over everything going on around me, I do have power over how I react.

In the end, everyone needs something that helps them feel like they can handle difficult times. In the same way as basketball provided Wes with a brief moment of calm, soccer, my pets, and experimenting with new things provide me with my own room to breathe, deal with life, and keep going.