But They Tried

Have you been watching the Olympics games?  I have, and as always, I am so impressed by the athletes and the nations who sponsor them.

For approximately two weeks every few years, the world meets in peace - okay, near peace.  If the athletes can do it, why not the national leaders?

I watch as the athletes from the USA compete in sports I don't even have an appreciation for and cheer them on as far as their talents and the luck of the draw take them.  Many times they win - many times they don't.  In every effort, they finish. 

Lindsey Vonn fell during her ski race on Friday, but she had finished the race.  It may seem that she didn't because she fell, but she did.  The fall was her "finish line."

Occasionally after having trained for many years an athlete will come all the way to the starting line and have to withdraw from the competition because of an injury.  Those are the ones I admire more than many of the others.  They put themselves - their well-being - ahead of a contest that in many cases lasts less than two minutes.  Their Olympic dreams for this time are over.  You know the physical pain they feel is secondary to the agony they must feel at having been through so much just to have to see their dream melted right in front of their eyes.

How sad.

Then there are the athletes who finish their race minutes behind the 15th place finisher. Still they finished.  My heart swells with pride regardless of the country each athlete represents.

The entire world should be very proud of these young people.  Yes, they are athletes to be sure, but they are someone's son or daughter, sister or brother, mother or father.  They are someone's best friend.  They deserve to be applauded for their efforts.