I don’t know about you, but I ❤️love the Olympics. The ☀️summer games are probably my favorite, although I’m glued to the ❄️winter games as well. Friday evening was spent on the couch with a bowl of 🍿popcorn and the Opening Ceremonies. I wanted to see every country in the Parade of Nations. Yes- the famously oiled flag-bearer from Tonga made another appearance! 😍I loved the theatrical show featuring customs and celebrities from the host country of Japan. You can bet I’ll watch the Closing Ceremony, too.
The games look a little different this year. Even though the games were postponed a year due to the 🌎global COVID-19 pandemic, the Tokyo games are still called the 2020 Olympics. This particular Olympics has some very specific protocols in place to make the games as safe as possible. With a few exceptions for travel times, most athletes are not admitted to the Olympic Village until 5 days prior to competition and must check out within 48-hours of their events. 😷Masks are required except when competing or eating. No 🍻alcohol in the dining halls. No hanging around to watch other events. Slim chances of social interaction with other athletes. No 🎉fans in the stands- including families and local spectators. Isolation and quarantines for positive COVID tests and exposures- meaning ❌no competition. Basically, they’re trying to have the Olympics without it becoming a worldwide superspreader event.✅
Sport is universal, though. Even with unprecedented conditions, it’s bringing together the 🤩best of the best- regardless of language barriers, differences in cultures, or COVID interventions. Athletes who represent different ages and all walks of life coming together to put their training to the test. In a time when nothing seems 🙃normal, watching the Olympics seems kind of- well, normal. 😊
We all know Simone Biles. Who isn’t waiting to see what she will do, right? 🥳But did you know that 🎸Bruce Springsteen’s daughter, Jessica, is a show jumping rider who is part of the United States Equestrian Team? There’s not an age limit for Olympians either. A skateboarder from Great Britain named Sky Brown will be 12 years and 15 days on the opening day of 🛹skateboarding. Syrian Hend Zaza is another 12-year-old competitor in the sport of 🏓table tennis. There’s Mary Hanna, a 66-year-old equestrian from Australia. And, Caeleb Dressel of the USA could become the next 🏊🏻Michael Phelps.
I watch these athletes and so many more from around the world with gratitude and 🥰admiration for their determination, focus, and skill. They sacrificed and trained at levels that folks like me can’t even comprehend- dedicating their lives to their sports. Many put typical milestones of life on hold to reach the goal of 🥇Olympic glory. They represent the best of the best in their sports. 🌟
So, what do we have in common with Olympians? We can all strive to be the best of OUR best! 🌟We can do what it takes to be the best version of ourselves. Will there be days when we feel like we nail it? 🙌🏻Sure. Will it be hard at times? 😢Yep. Will there be moments when we can only be our best until the workday or school event or responsibility is over? 😳You bet! There will even be times when we only have an hour of being our best to give. 😬That’s okay.
What if…we try our 🌟best? That’s all we can expect, right? That we put in the effort. That we give it some serious reflection. That we have good intentions. That we share the 🌟best versions of ourselves because our 🌟best is pretty incredible!💖
sharing the stairs 