Olympic Fever

“Well," said Pooh, "what I like best," and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called.”

― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

I LOOOOOVVVVVVEEEEEE the Olypmics. I don’t even think I can express strongly enough just how much. More than Winnie the Pooh loves honey.

I love the action, the friendly competition, the drive, the inspiring stories, the international stage on which this all takes place, and the freedom I have to be as patriotic for any country that I want to be. A long time ago I told someone that in the summer games I cheer for the USA and in the winter ones for Austria, but the truth is that my heart is much more of a hodgepodge that than. Of course when it comes to skiing, I’m rooting for a podium that would include gold for Austria, silver for the USA, and bronze for Austria. In gymnastics, it’s USA, all the way. When it came to pingpong two years ago, I was hoping quite badly Taiwan would score a medal, and thus become more recognized again. Yesterday, amazingly, I found myself hoping Germany would score high in pairs ice dancing – not knowing they were never expected to.

But it’s okay. It’s the Olympics! I’m allowed to be schizophrenic in my cheering.

[Hang on. Pause. Matthias Mayer is on.] Okay, hand-wringing over. He is in the lead! Whew.

I love the Olympics because they represent that Winnie-the-Pooh anticipation, the potential of what could be. They're made up of dreams and possibilities, of utter pleasure, and I get to partake and watch the world's players unfurl the scene. The Olympics bring together the best, top athletes who represent so much more to me than sports – the willingness to leave their homeland to be quasi “ambassadors” and hopefully come home with the prize. Mini missionaries?

No, I won’t try to spiritualize this. I’ll just continue to soak in the atmosphere of international pride combined with congeniality and eat my honey.