Every two years, the world throws a party known as the Olympics. Although only a few thousand people get to participate in the party, the rest of us are allowed to watch and cheer. This year’s Winter Olympics in Vancouver started out tinged in sadness as a 21 year old slider from Georgia (the country, not the state) died in practice several hours before the opening ceremonies. His spirit seemed to hover over the stadium as the athletes, coaches, and crowd were asked to remember him and to strive to live up to the credo of the games.
The opening ceremonies are always my favorite part of the Olympics as there is something pagan and primitive about seeing the flame that has traveled all the way from Greece come in and be carried to a gigantic cauldron to be lit so that it can be seen by all in the surrounding area. There is something comforting in knowing that the Olympics are important enough for all the ritual and ceremony that surrounds lighting the flame from the sun in Greece and then hand carrying it around the world. Especially in today’s hurry, hurry society where we all know it would be so much easier to flick a bic and be done with it.
This year’s ceremony was even more pagan as the indigenous people from Candada welcomed the world through native song and dance to Vancouver. There was a traditional, and very pagan, calling of the quarters and dances that told stories of heartache, loss, and triumph.
The parade of nations is awe inspiring as you see every country who is participating walk in proudly behind their flag. I always get inspired to see the smaller delegations walk in to compete for the glory of their countryman. It’s easy to be a part of a huge contingent, but there is something courageous about choosing to be the only athlete from your country to participate in the games. As the Mongolian team walked in, the announcers told about the first winter Olympics that Mongolia had participated in back in 1964 when a group of down hill skiers, not knowing there were applicaiton procedures, just showed up and were allowed to participate. I’d like to think that if that happened today, they’d still be allowed to participate in the spirit of the games, but the realist in me knows that that probably wouldn’t happen.
The Georgian team got a standing ovation as they marched in wearing black armbands in memory of their friend and fellow Olympian. There was a sadness in their faces, but also a determination to go on and compete in Nodar’s name.
The Olympics create a world within a world as the participants devote 17 days to participate for glory and personal achievement. Most of the athletes know they have no hope of winning a medal, but are there for the glory of competing for their country and to push themselves a little bit farther so they can be a little bit better than they were before. That’s something blissful that we can all aspire to: to be a little bit better than we were the day before.
Cairn by Cairn 