The Olympics

I love The Olympics.

I love the speed and strength as the swimmers glide through the water, the way my heart seems to pause as the divers tumble off the high boards, the grace ad power of the gymnasts. Each time, at my house, we seem to learn something new. One year, we learned all about curling (not hair…stones and ice and brooms.) This year, we are learning about fencing, epees versus sabres, and handball.

There are so many events, some that I forget (or didn’t know) were olympic events. Did you know ping pong is an olympic event? Only it’s called table tennis. Maybe if I would have kept at it when I was a kid, who knows? Or trampoline? Or breakdancing? There is a new kayak event this year. And there is surfing, alhtough not in France. It is in Tahiti-French Polynesia.

You never who is going to stand out. Oh, sure, you can be sure that Simone Biles is going to be fantastic this year (and she has been.) American swimmer Katie Ledecky is probably going to leave other swimmers far behind (and she has). French swimmer Leon Marchand will probably do the same with his competition (and he has.) But there are things that you don’t expect. There is a man from Turkey that earned a silver medal in a shooting competion that is causing a stir because he just stood there, no other fancy equimpent, (like other shooters use) and shot his gun.

Have you seen Pommel Horse Guy? His real name is Stephen Nedoroscik. He is a self-proclaimed glasses-wearing nerd, an engineering student from Penn State. He can, (and during his wait at the olympics, did) solve a Rubik’s Cube in 10 seconds. He does one thing at the olympics, the pommel horse. During the USA men’s team final, he sat there, getting water for his temmates and cheering them on. The Pommel Horse is the last event, and he needs to do an almost flawless routine for the team to get a medal. So he walks up to the pommel horse, takes stock of it, takes his glasses off (It was a Clark Kent moment) and starts his routine….and nails it. He is perfect…arguably the best routine on any aparatus all night. The USA men earn a bronze metal, their first team bronze in gymanstics in 16 years.

One of our gymnasts, Suni Lee, had kidney disease, and six months ago couldn’t do gymnastics. Yesterday, she got a bronze in the women’s All Around. There are stories like this from every country. Stories of pain and perseverence, of trying and winning, of trying and not winning. But no one looses, although I am sure it doesn’t feel that way to those that don’t medal. The thing is, everyone there worked and sacrificed and sweated to be the best in their sport, the best that they can be. They had a drream and a goal and through effort and pain and joy and tears and victories and heartache, they did it.

So many people from so many countries. I like to believe that this is the one time in this world that we can all put aside our differences and call a truce. A little peace. Root for the athletes to do well just because they are trying, they followed their dream, and as human beings, we, as spectators want them to do their best. Be happy for whoever wins. Be a little bumed for those that don’t get a medal. Because everyone has a story, filled with heartbreak and victory, successes and losses, tears of joy and tears of sorrow.

I think we should respect that. In everyone.

Peace,

Kathie