"The greater the difficulty,
the more the glory in surmounting it."
- Epicurus
I am not a remotely athletic person, but I do love the Olympics. Every two years, I find myself absorbed in competitions that at any other moment, I am completely oblivious to.
"Hey, honey, Breaking Bad can wait, I must watch the archery team events."
"Oh, did you hear about what happened in the men's 400 IM?"
"Wow, those Romanian vaulters are gunning for gold again."
What is it about the Games that engages so many of us? The thrill of close races and heroic performances and team spirit? The happy notion that the world is putting aside national differences to compete on a level playing field? The possibility for underdogs and unknowns to win big? All of these things, I suppose are what makes these sporting feats more special, more rare than Sunday night football or the World Series.
As we prepare for the Opening Ceremonies tomorrow, I am genuinely excited to watch and cheer. While the flags wave and athletes march proudly, I look forward to two weeks of "Faster, Higher, Stronger." Oh, and watching events unfold in jolly old England doesn't hurt either! Happy Olympics, everyone!
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