The curse has finally been lifted from the sacred kingdom that is Wrigley Field.

On Thursday, Nov. 3 at 12:47 a.m., the Chicago Cubs defeated the Cleveland Indians 8-7 at Progressive Field to win their first World Series title since 1908.

I don’t think I had ever been so stressed, so thankful and so emotional in my life.

The World Series unfolded in drama that only the Cubs could produce. The Cubs were down three games to one and fans across the country thought it was over.

However, they went on to win the next two games, setting up the epic Game 7 showdown.

Moments like Dexter Fowler’s lead-off home run or Willson Contreras’ RBI double in the fourth inning built my confidence that the Cubs would leave as champions, but it is never that easy to break a curse.

The players’ nerves seemed to get the best of them at times. Cleveland scored on multiple occasions due to errors and wild pitches.

Tension built and Cubs fans around the world were getting flashbacks of each failed attempt over the years at winning the World Series. If that weren’t enough to give fans a panic attack, the rain delay surely did the trick.

But, looking back, perhaps the rain delay was a blessing in disguise. It allowed the Cubs to regroup and focus on getting the win.

At last, during the 10th inning, relief pitcher Mike Montgomery shut the Indians down and the Cubs had finally won a World Series.

I watched in denial for about two seconds, then proceeded to jump up and down ecstatically, trying to get my shaky hands to dial my dad’s number.

I still can’t believe it finally happened. All those devastating losses of the past were forgotten and the “Lovable Losers” are now baseball’s best.

Some of you may be wondering, why was everyone so emotional? For many, including me, watching the Cubs means family and nostalgia.

My grandma was the one who took my dad and aunt to Wrigley Field when they lived in nearby Indiana growing up. They then took my siblings and me to games when we were younger.

My grandma passed away when I was a only a few years old, so she didn’t get the chance to witness the Cubs’ big win with us. This was the case for many other families as well.

Cubs icons like Ernie Banks, Ron Santo and Harry Caray also never got this chance. This made the win extremely bittersweet, but I took comfort in knowing how happy they would all be that it finally happened.

It took 108 years. It was absolutely worth the wait.

My dad’s said it before, and it remains true. Being a Cubs fan builds character.

The Cubs have taught me that the best things are worth waiting for and life isn’t all about the wins. Life might hand you a “Steve Bartman” incident or a billy goat curse from time to time, but you must keep on going.

When the kids at my New York elementary school were wearing Yankee hats, I walked into class wearing my Cubs hat. Despite all the team’s slumps and the lack of Cubs merchandise in any New York sporting goods store, I remained a fan.

Being a Cubs fan gave me an early lesson in unconditional love, and now that they’ve won it all and broken the curse, I’m curious as to what will happen next.

But for now, I think I’ll just sit back and enjoy it.

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