Are you as excited as I am? Are you calculating the time difference and programming your TiVo so you don’t miss a moment? Have you cleared your schedule, prepared yourself for the highs and lows of emotion? It’s time for the Winter Olympics!
I love the Olympics. Whether it’s the winter games or summer games, I enjoy soaking up the whole experience. The opening ceremony is always an amazing display of the host country’s heritage and traditions, with a parade of athletes whose faces and names become real over the next few weeks. We cheer for them and cry with them as they win or lose, and we see just how much of themselves they have brought to the games.
These athletes are hardworking, self-motivated, and awe inspiring. While they may have been born with certain talents or abilities, it’s their personal commitment that’s taken them to this level. They have worked tirelessly to reach their goals, and in the process they bring joy and inspiration to a world that is watching from the sidelines. And although the games have to end eventually and the athletes return home, we still hold onto those feelings of unity, pride, and wonder that we’ve experienced.
We may not be Olympians, but isn’t that something we should all strive for? To reach our goals and create good in the world? We all have personal goals – to complete a project, to hit a target, to find success in our careers or personal lives. Just like the athletes who train rigorously every day, we must have a strong work ethic with a focus on the future. But our individual efforts should also bring good things to the world we live in. When you’re standing on that medal platform with gold around your neck, are you standing alone? Or is the world cheering along with you?