So we have DVR and I’ve been able to watch these Summer Games of the 29th Olympiad to my heart’s content. With approximately 18 hours of Olympic coverage available each day, I thought I might get bored by the end of these two weeks but I have LOVED every minute of it. Okay, I haven’t actually watched every minute of it. I started to fast forward through the handball games (not sure I get that), field hockey, umpteenth rowing race, and table tennis. I got a little tired of watching the same dives over and over again in the preliminaries, semi-finals and finals, but really, I could go on watching the Olympics for another month at least. I love everything about it. I love the athletes who have worked so hard and can show it off by winning races and being the best in the world. I enjoy watching the athletes who don’t win, but still find joy in competing at all and maybe scoring a personal best. I love watching the families with their matching shirts, emblazoned with pictures of “their Olympian.” What a dream that would be.
I also reflected on the position of the good old USA in the world. These weeks have reminded me that despite our struggles, our great country is admired. We set standards with our demeanor, our athletes, our very nature. It’s not something we’re cocky about, it’s just the way it is….it’s our role in the world and I was happy to see that reiterated. In addition to all of those normal Olympic experiences, for the first time I understand the diplomacy of the Olympics. It’s been so nice to be a world together, at the same place, doing the same things at the same time. We’ve helped each other up, edged each other out and in the end, respectfully admired and celebrated our collective accomplishments.