I Love the Olympic Games

When I realized how close we were to opening ceremonies and that we had no way of tuning in, I threw a thrombie and insisted that we get our act together. We downloaded a VPN on our computer so that we could watch the Rio games on the NBC website. I love to watch the Olympic Games. My first memory of tuning in was in ’84. I’ve been hooked ever since. I focus my attention on swimming and gymnastics the first week, and athletics the second. I love rooting for Team USA but find myself cheering for athletes from around the world.

All the support that each athlete has from their family, their country, their fellow athletes and me sitting on my couch watching their attempts, clapping and encouraging them all the way across the globe, puts to bed, for just a little while all shitty stuff, all the heavy horrible actions that we do to each other, and all the nasty judgements we make against what frightens us. We see just how very alike human beings are; hopeful, emotional, supportive, celebrating, hurting, hugging, cheering, crying, altogether. The Olympics, for me, makes earthlings, for two weeks, seem glorious, cohesive and so very strong. It’s my little bubble of time outside of the ‘real world’.

This week has me rooting for, for probably the last time: Kristy Coventry from Zimbabwe-this is her fourth Olympics- Katie Ledecky, Lilly King & Ryan Murphy USA, Sarah Sjoström Sweden, Sun Yang China, Adam Peaty Great Britain, Alia Atkinson Jamaica, Rūta Meilutytė Lithuania, and many more for swimming. As far as gymnastics goes; EVERYONE knows Simone Biles- package of awesomeness, of course she’s my number one pick- but I do love love love Gabby Douglas, they both are amazing athletes- they all are. I’m in awe of every athlete, the time, training, and steadfast single mindedness is something I admire.

Oh, and I did check some table tennis- Ding Ning from China has some serious skills and once she was done playing she signed some balls and whacked them out to the fans- how fun is she? And China has some awesome outfits.

[Img.Src: London Olympic torch 1948, Simone Biles Rio 2016]