The Olympics
I like the Olympics as much as the next person, but I didn’t expect to feel quite so emotional when the games began. I barely registered that they were delayed last summer—too much was happening in the news cycle, and it wasn’t as if they had been on and stopped. They just didn’t start. But lots of things just didn’t start.
But when the music began to swell as the opening ceremony began, and I realized the enormity—of people finally realizing their dream to how much we’ve lost along the way, I burst into tears, sobbing through the montage of athletes training and home videos of their families cheering them on.
It has been such a hard year and a half, and right now doesn’t feel any different (to me) from last summer. Even with the vaccine, it still feels precarious, and I’m filled with worry. The opening ceremonies were about the world coming together… sort of… even though we’ve proven through our behaviour over the pandemic that the world isn’t all on the same side, working together to defeat this virus. So here we are.
I pulled myself together after a few minutes of sobbing and made it to the end of the 4.5 hour ceremony. I didn’t expect to feel so moved, so angry, and so hopeful all at the same time.
3 comments
We watched a little bit of the coverage yesterday. I’m glad the athletes are getting a chance to compete, but the reports of infection are a little grim.
I haven’t watched too much of the Olympics yet, but I had CBC’s live coverage of the opening ceremonies on TV as I cleaned house on Friday morning. It all seemed a little flat and muted and odd — the vast, near-empty stadium, the drastically reduced numbers of masked athletes marching behind their countries’ flags. Still, I did get emotional, especially when the athletes started marching in. I always do (especially when I see our Canadians), but there was an added layer this time, thinking of how hard these kids have worked to get there, and how very different their Olympic experience will be from past Olympics, and from what they’ve imagined and dreamed of. 🙁 I felt bad for them, and for the families who can’t be there to support them, as they normally would.
Still — it’s the Olympics, and they’re there! And even if it’s different, it’s certainly even more of an historic experience than it usually is — and they’re still a part of it.
I didn’t watch the whole opening ceremony – it was way too late here, and I’m not big on opening/closing ceremonies anyway. BUT I have been watching the events, and get quite sobby too, regardless of the country (though I will admit to cheering for the underdogs usually!) they are from. It’s been so hard without competitions (especially those from isolated countries like NZ) for the athletes to prepare, or it has meant a long long time away from home. I was actually thinking last night that it is a wonderful thing to see the world’s countries coming together to play sport, and to cheer those who win regardless of where they come from.