Olympic Inspiration

I watched the Olympics opening ceremonies on Friday night. I can't say they were the most beautiful, or extravagant I've ever seen, but I don't think they needed to be. (True confession...I was multi-tasking so my mind or my eyes weren't focused just on them.) I enjoyed them just the same. I loved the music most of all. Russia has such a rich history there, and it was beautiful.

Every time the Olympics come around I like seeing how the host country chooses to showcase it's heritage. Sometimes I really like the music, other times, not as much. Sometimes it seems long, and drawn out. Other times it's stunning. But always it is interesting. I learn a little more about the culture and I find out about a place I will most likely never see. And I am inspired and hopeful that the host country will have a good show, and a successful Olympics.

I can be easily inspired. Some would say I tend to be a little sappy about this stuff. I stand guilty. I like it when things work out. When the work of thousands come off without a major hitch. What is sad is when we focus on all the wrong things. One snowflake that didn't open when it should, hotel glitches....

There may be three things that affects the focus of these Olympics. 1) It's Russia. Even with the cold war gone, we are still in competition to show we are better, and we look for any chance to prove it. 2) The unfortunate threat of terrorism--but truthfully, hasn't that been true for the last 30 years? 3) Social Media. A twitter page has been set up just to highlight all the little things that are wrong....door knobs, bad water, rooms not ready....  I wonder if twitter had been available at any previous Olympics what problems would have been revealed? Plenty, I'm sure. Nothing of that magnitude comes off without a hitch.

We live in an age where mocking anyone or anything seems to have become an Olympic sport and most of us could qualify for the team.

I hope in the weeks to come we hear less about the glitches, and more about the real focus...the athletes. I'm looking for the stories about them. Where they come from. What they overcame. The villages around the world that has a hero in Sochi. That has always been the best part of the Olympics for me. Hearing their stories, seeing the competition.

Politics will always be a part of it. It can't help it. We are intertwined, and in competition with one another, worldwide. But it needs to be a small part of the story. Not the focus. I'm looking forward to being inspired.