Normally, I couldn't care less about sports, but the Olympics are not just sports. They are the one time and place that every two years everyone around the world finds a little bit of common ground. For 3 weeks, they set aside their differences and come together to celebrate each other's cultures and accomplishments.
One of my favorite parts is hearing all of the stories behind the athletes. How Shawn Johnson's parents mortgaged their house twice to keep her in gymnastics. How Michael Phelps's mom raised him and his two sisters, by herself, on a teacher's salary. How Lolo Jones chose to live in four different foster homes as a teenager so she could stay at the same high school and get a track scholarship.
Last night, when Shawn Johnson stood on the podium and received her gold medal, and when they started playing our national anthem, I just lost it. It was so powerful and emotional to see the fruit of the labor of these athletes. I can't imagine the tears and frustrations and obstacles, the days of wanting to give up, the days of feeling hopeless and exhausted and weary. But I also can't imagine how much, during the medal ceremonies, they must feel so proud and so glad that they stuck with it, gave it everything, made sacrifices, or how thankful they must feel for the sacrifices that others made to allow them to be there. Talk about a pinnacle of emotion. Wow.
It's so crazy that the lives and passions of the athletes all boil down to sometimes a matter of seconds on national television. One hit hurdle, and it's over. You're done.
So intense!
Totally worth the loss of sleep to witness all this.
1 comment:
MORGAN! Yes.
Im always looking for more people's blogs to read, and it makes me happy to have come across yours.
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