XXX Olympiad

Well….it’s over.  I did not watch 3600 hours as I had excitedly anticipated.  3600 hours of TV is a lot of TV. I did take control of the TV however and watched as many hours as possible of the Summer Olympics.  Some of it caught my attention and held me captive.  Some of it did not.  But it is a personal ritual that I go through every 4 years. 

I have been watching the Olympics for as long as they have been televised.  I grew up in a family of sports nuts and in many ways it really didn’t matter what the sport was…so the Olympics were a big deal at our house. 

I have had the pure joy of attending two Olympics: 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and the 2002

Salt Lake City Winter games…both were fabulous.  I made all the arrangements for both events and in honesty I don’t think that those who went with me in both cases were nearly as excited as I to be there.  I even shelled out the big bucks to attend Opening Ceremonies in Salt Lake.  That was a thrill. 

My husband considers me something of an oddball when it comes to this obsession.  He has little to no interest and is actually quite scornful of the whole affair.  But for me, it is pure joy and thrill.

I don’t really care who gets the gold.  What thrills me is to see these athletes who are the best of the best come together in a global arena and compete at something  they have worked years for.  I have never had that kind of dedication to anything.  But I do recognize the effort and sacrifice that it entails and very much respect it. And while the vast majority of the athletes get absolutely no international recognition of any kind, I will bet big bucks that they wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.

Beyond that it is the only event on the planet that brings all these cultures together and in the one place for 17 short days everyone gets along.  Doesn’t mean there isn’t controversy and sometimes even scandal, but by and large, it is an event unparalleled in showing that the human race can get along and play together in harmony.

I really wanted to go to London this year, circumstances wouldn’t permit it.  But that’s okay.  I got my fix for another 18 months and you can be sure that when the Winter Olympics of 2014 come around, I’ll be once again, one of the diehard fans.