GOLD MEDAL

Olympics, summer or winter, are my time to linger a little longer in front of the television.

Our schedules do not allow us to watch during the day, unless I choose to wake up at 5:30am to watch horses jump hurdles.
 I did make that choice one morning and it was great.  But the day seemed a little long.

That said, at night, when the highlights of the best athletes are shown, I am all eyes.
 I am glued.
 I am working at winning the  Gold Medal for the Couch Potato category.

My sister took this shot of a sand
sculpter at the beach.  This is
truly worth Olympic Gold.
(Click on Cynthia's Botanicals on
the sidebar for more.)

 I am focused on these athletes who have given their lives for this moment.

A swimmer looks like a winner and then loses by 1/100 of a second!
I cannot imagine spending my entire life in water to loose by such a tiny margin.

For that matter, what about the world class gymnast who fumbles in floor exercises just a tad bit more than her team mates and is not qualified to join her team for the next exercise because each country can only have so many winners?
That means another country can have fewer points and move to the next exercise?

 This is not the Olympics I have ever known.
 I'm off the couch.
 I'm standing in the middle of the living room ranting at such a stupid rule ... so everyone can have a fair chance?

This could be me, ready
to challenge the judges.

What about the person who earns the highest points!
If one country wins all the top spaces, so be it.
I just lost any hope for the Couch Potato Medal!
I'm still off the couch.
I scream at the judges.
I think I also lost the 'Good Sportsmanship' medal too.
I cannot even think of how these young athletes feel with rules that have never before been part of the Olympics.
I may have this all wrong but my adrenaline soared.
The athletes have to dry their tears and move on.
That's far more than I could do at this point.

Now I am a wreck over the men's swimming competition because some races are way too close for comfort.
Some are breaking their own records.
These 'kids' are beyond amazing: Discipline, Drive, Fortitude, Grace, Patience, Perseverance ... and so much more.

A ribbon with a piece of metal.
Reward of a lifetime.

These athletes have so much to teach all of us.
The highest expectations have been drilled into them:
 Do your best.
Take what is given with grace.
Endure under pressure.
Keep moving forward.

And KEEP SMILING when your heart is breaking ... and reporters ask ..."How do you feel?"
I wish some athlete would ask the reporter, "How do you feel when your whole world falls apart after giving up life for ten years or more?"
But these young women and men simply smile and give the best answer they can.
They have ALL won the Gold Medal for grace under pressure in a kazillion different categories.
They are the BEST!
Whether they win or loose, they have much to teach the rest of us ... spoiled, less disciplined, unwilling to persevere for more than thirty seconds.

I believe those who simply qualify for the Olympics deserve a Gold Medal for the exemplary lives they lead ... whether they win or lose.

 

From the 2000 Olympics

   I have much to learn from them.
   I might as well keep working on my 'Couch Potato'
        status.
     I may not win the medal but the 'lingering' might
         teach me something.