I finally sat down with Mandy and watched the opening ceremony of the Olympics in London. I always enjoy the pageantry of the opening ceremonies and the celebratory atmosphere of the closing ceremonies. (Side note: The next summer games will be in Rio. How fantastic is that closing ceremony going to be?) For me personally, there is one moment of every Olympiad that is the most gripping and emotionally stirring, and it comes in the opening ceremony.
It does not matter where in the world the Olympics are held, I always watch the parade of nations. That's where you will find the greatest single moment of television every four years. It is the moment at the end of the parade of nations when the athletes from the host nation are introduced and first enter the arena. It never fails to thrill. The team is introduced, and the athletes file in led proudly by the flag of their country. In the stands, tens of thousands of their countrymen erupt in the most purely passionate cheers heard anywhere on the planet.
Can you imagine walking in following and wearing the colors of your nation and being met with the love and adoration of your country before you ever even step on the field of play? What an indescribable honor. I get emotional just considering the possibility.
There was another captivating image at this year's opening ceremony. An overhead camera shot showed the crowd of athletes assembled on the floor of the arena. Thousands of individuals from over two hundred nations, many from differing cultures, many with conflicting belief systems were gathered in one place, preparing to spend two weeks together, and putting aside their differences.
What causes this harmony among the nations that we would all love to see, but only truly reveals itself on one platform?
Sports. I'm just sayin'.
It is, after all, the opening of the Olympic games.
Then there is the competition. Already this year we have seen drama in the swimming arena. Ryan Lochte won an early gold medal and appeared poised to become the breakout star of these Olympics, only to see Michael Phelps return to prominence and become the most decorated Olympian ever. There will also be a lot of interest once the track and field events begin. The world will be anxious to see if the aptly named Usain Bolt can continue to stretch the boundaries of human capability.
And of course, there is USA Gymnastics. The girls' team is known as the Fab Five, and they have shown why they have earned that nickname for sure.
First, there's Jordyn Wieber. Now, a rule is a rule no matter how incredibly dumb it is, and the rule is only two gymnasts from any country can make the individual all-around final. Knowing this, Wieber's dreams of all-around gold were crushed when two of her teammates, including Gabby Douglas, scored higher than her in qualifying. Now, I don't pretend to know more about gymnastics than the Olympic judges, but as we watched the performances, I thought Wieber outperformed Douglas. Nevertheless, she was eliminated.
How did she respond? She put it all aside temporarily, locked herself in, and delivered an amazing vault to help the USA win the team gold medal going away.
And what of Gabby Douglas. First, she has to cope with conflicting emotions. On one hand, her friend and teammate is out of the competition and visibly devastated. On the other, she is one step closer to realizing her dream. I'm also guessing that there were at least a few ignoramuses (ignorami?) like me who didn't believe she belonged in the final. Also, most of the media coverage seemed focused on Wieber missing the final rather than on Douglas making it.
How did she respond? She put it all aside temporarily, locked herself in, and delivered the performance of her life to win the individual all-around gold medal. She proved to me and everyone else that she did truly belong.
Phelps, Wieber, Douglas have all shown us why sports create the ultimate in reality television. They, and thousands of other international athletes, captivate the world for two weeks in even numbered years. Their accomplishments could prove that there exists in each of us the power to overcome the odds and our circumstances and have our spirit truly shine brightly.
That shining human spirit sounds great, but it doesn't exist. Not really.
I don't have it.
See...swimming, track, gymnastics. Even in the Olympics, each individual event is, exactly like all the other sports I write about, just a game. It is not reality.
Reality is every American gold medalist returning home to an increased tax bill from the IRS. (Yes, our government taxes each gold medalist to the tune of almost $9000 per gold.) Reality is a world full of people who take for granted and take advantage, a world full of laziness and an incomprehensible spirit of envy that grows and spreads like wildfire every day.
True reality is when many of these athletes, now outside of the Olympics, endure the atrocities that occur when true humanity reveals it self and people blindly and violently stand up for those conflicting belief systems that were temporarily eschewed during the games.
Once the athletes are done with the competition, the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, and the closing ceremony, they must return home. Once the Olympic flame is extinguished, they must return to reality.
And reality sucks.
Scripture: If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”says the Lord. - Romans 12:18-19 (NIV)
Quote: "I don't know when I might give in. It's haunting me again, and I feel like just giving up. Today, how it wears me thin. I'm weakening again, and I feel like just giving up." - Mark Tremonti
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