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My Olympic observation ...

Started by CheezeFlixz, August 25, 2008, 01:36:46 AM

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CheezeFlixz

Well I just watched the Olympics. You can't help but have a sense of pride watching them, not just for your own country, but also for all countries.  As an American I am happy when we come home with the most medals and our athletes drape themselves in the flag to celebrate victory, but I cannot help but feel pride for other less fortunate countries that are happy to be able send even a single athlete to the games, we here in America take for granted the effort that goes into sending a athlete to the games as a nation. We field nearly 600 Olympians for 2008 along with their coaches and staff the number climes quickly to way over a 1000, they spent years training in top notch, state of the art facilities with the best of everything. Plenty of community, friend and family support, and family often will go with them to the games. But what about others counties like war torn Afghanistan that was only able to field 4 athletes, and managed to bring home their first Olympic medal ever, a Bronze by Rohulla Nikpai in Taekwando. I am sure they are as proud of their first and only medal as larger, richer counties are of their mountain of medals. There are dozens of other countries like Eritrea, Congo, Lesotho, and Nauru that failed to medal, but represented their counties honorably and their counties are just as proud of athletes for just getting there without the state of the art facilities and trainers. Nor their families that cannot afford the luxury of traveling to the games with them and might not know how their countryman did until they return home due to lack of media access.

But I guess what touches me most about the Olympics are the stories, like Mattias Streiner of Germany who lost his wife to a car wreck shortly before the game's, she was working an extra job to make money to accompany him to Beijing. Mattias not only continued on with his training and to the games, but won gold in honor of his late wife and as he stood upon the podium and he held his medal and a photo of his late wife, it was a powerful moment to me. He looked proud, but you could see the pain of his greatest loss as he said holding up his gold medal 'this is for my wife'.

Then there was South Africa's Natalie du Toit. Despite loosing her leg in a tragic accident she not only competed in the Olympics, she placed a respectable 16th in the Women's 10K marathon swim only a 1 minute 22 seconds behind the winner. Proof that adversity only builds determination.

There are so many more stories and 100's if not 1000's we'll never know.

I also saw politically rival countries come together. While Russia invaded Georgia, the Georgian and Russians played volleyball in Beijing.  I saw American running beside Iranians, I saw sportsmanship as 41 year old American swimmer Dora Torres ask the judge to delay the start so an Australian opponent could fix there uniform. I saw completing counties and runners share water in marathon runs. I saw people helping people regardless of religious, political, racial or personal beliefs. I saw a world without boarders, without conflict, without hate, without war. But what I didn't see was 204 different countries, what I did see was ONE WORLD, at peace in a small area for a preciously short period of time.

Sure there were a few problem, a few concerns, a little finger pointing but over all the vast majority of people displayed sportsmanship, kindness and respect for their fellow man and every 4 years the world asked the same question 'why can't we all just get along' and for that briefest, most fleeting moment in time there is hope, hope for all mankind, hope for the future and for those of us yet to come.

The Olympics are now over, the flame is out and soon the world will forget the peace that brought them together and in 4 years well ask these same questions again.

and that's my observation for the Olympics 2008



Patient7

I think Morgan Freeman said it best when he said,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V22PebTiik

I know it's a visa commercial, but I really like it.
Barbeque sauce tastes good on EVERYTHING, even salad.

Yes, salad.

Trevor

Quote from: CheezeFlixz on August 25, 2008, 01:36:46 AM
Then there was South Africa's Natalie du Toit. Despite loosing her leg in a tragic accident she not only competed in the Olympics, she placed a respectable 16th in the Women's 10K marathon swim only a 1 minute 22 seconds behind the winner. Proof that adversity only builds determination.


Thanks, Cheeze.

Yes, Natalie du Toit is indeed an inspiration to all South Africans, hell, also an eye opener to everyone who thinks disability means inability.  :smile:

I've always looked up to the Olympics as being what a microcosm of our world could be if we all put aside our differences for all time instead of just 16 days every four years. The Olympics are a wonderful event indeed.  :smile:
We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness.

Jack

The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion.

- Paulo Coelho

Trevor

Quote from: Jack on August 26, 2008, 06:38:12 AM
Ninja Underpants?   :teddyr: 

Yup, Ninja UnderPants: undies that shrink quickly and squeeze cojones without too much pain.  :teddyr: :teddyr:

I'll change it back to Trevor sometime. Ash is now Lord Poo Bah or something like that.  :smile:
We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness.