I don't know about you guys, but the Olympics always manages to suck me into watching hours of competitions each day. (Admittedly, even while writing this post, the TV is on in the background.)
There is just something about these competitions that is exhilarating: watching athletes compete to become the best of the best; cheering on Canada on every medal won.
And yet at the same time, watching these races is very ironic. While the athletes are working their asses off (sorry, lack of better description) trying to win, we merely recline on their couches, eyes glued to the screen watching, likely growing less fit by the minute. While they are going out there, doing their best chasing their dreams... what are we doing with our lives? I guess what I'm trying to say is that the Olympics should serve as an example of what you can achieve when you put your heart to it. They did it, so why can't we? The Summer Olympics especially, should encourage us to take action and do something productive with the time we have.
But then I realized something else, as I was watching an online interview with the mother of Gabby Douglas, one of the athletes on the USA Olympic Gymnastics Team. Her mother was talking about all the sacrifices their family had made in order to fulfill her daughter's Olympic dream. And then she said, "you know, it's really tough for all of them, since only five girls make the team each Olympics". That's when I realized, those who make it to the Olympics every four years aren't the only ones who are making sacrifices and trying their hardest. There are so many more out there who do the same, maybe work even harder, and yet fall that many steps short of achieving their dream.
So in the end, I guess the Games, like life in general, is all about balance. It is certainly imperative to go out there and chase something we desperately want, but at the same it is just as important to know the boundaries and not get discouraged in times of failure. For some athletes, simply getting to the Olympics would be a dream come true, but for others, even a silver medal is a huge disappointment. I think that, no matter what happens, they shouldn't be disappointed - the process is part of the success, and knowing you gave it your all is accomplishment in itself. As for those who didn't make it? Well, there are always more competitions to come.
This post may have seemed a bit all over the place, because I had trouble connecting all my thoughts on these Games into a single post that flowed well. Hope you at least get the gist of it! Also, speaking of productivity, A POST ON ALASKA IS COMING SOON. I PROMISE. (Yes, for those who didn't know, I went to Alaska for a week and it was awesome! But more on that later...)
Honestly, I`m surprised you came to such a meaningful conclusion from watching the games. Personally, I haven`t been following them at all, I missed the opening ceremony and I hadn`t really been that hyped for it since.
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree with the first two paragraphs. I'd been having the same thoughts myself. Interesting point about sacrifices and expectations. Half of them are embarrassed to earn a silver, and the other half are beaming just to make it to the finals.
ReplyDeleteThe opening ceremony, to be completely honest, was disorganized at parts and boring overall - definitely didn't compare to Beijing, that's for sure, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteOther than that, Michael Phelps is officially the "greatest swimmer of all time", Usain Bolt won the 100m sprint again, and Canada has been "unfairly treated" in many events, such as equestrian, synchro swimming, and soccer - or so they claim anyway. I feel bad for the girl who got disqualified because they deemed her horse "unfit to compete though" - especially since it was her very first Olympics.
Yeah, I was really pissed off at one of the Russian gymnastic girls because she won bronze and began crying.
I think I've been watching too much, lol.
Don't forget men's boxing! That was a "controversial" one, too.
DeleteI didn't get the watch the opening ceremonies live, and only started on it yesterday. I've been able to catch scattered glimpses of events, including the last 10 minutes of the Canada-US soccer match, which I managed to do while blindly peeling potatoes, a bit of the tennis match between Andy Murray and Roger Federer while eating breakfast at a restaurant, and the end of the men's triathlon, for which I had to run to work in order to finish watching. (The irony of me huffing and puffing after a few minutes running downhill while these athletes pretty much sprinted 10km did not escape me.) I think those were the only segments I saw live, everything else was a rerun, including Bolt's 100m, which they kept replaying.
ReplyDeleteI did watch a rerun with commentary of the Clayton boxing thing. I don't know if the commentary affected my judgement, because I thought they should have definitely taken off the penalty points. Then again, I know next to nothing about boxing.
Are you back in Toronto just yet?
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