Dear Friends,
I love the Olympics. The first Olympics that I recall was the 1976 Olympics where Nadia Comaneci, representing Romania, scored perfect 10s in the Gymnastics competitions. I not only witnessed athletic excellence watching her compete, but I learned about Romania, international politics and rivalries in a way that had me far more engaged than any third grade history lesson ever could. Seeing her as one of the final torch carriers in Paris last week brought a flood of memories back about why I loved the Olympics so much.
Most of the Olympic athletes compete at the highest level of international competition even when it is not an Olympic year, yet somehow the allure of a host city, an Olympic torch that travels from Mt. Olympus in Greece to the host city, and a gathering of athletes from 204 nations competing in a diverse array of 32 sports from swimming to archery allows the world to collectively experience the spirit of sport and competition on a whole other level.
What is this spirit of the Olympics? Does it relate to our spiritual life? I say it’s all spiritual! Witnessing the thrills of victory and the agony of defeat, cheering on athletes at the top levels of competition, and feeling both great joy at a hard won victory and deep compassion for athletes whose Olympic moment wasn’t what they had hoped for, bring out the deepest corners of the human spirit. Likewise, watching athletes using the best of their God-given potential and understanding the many ups and downs they endured to have their Olympic moment is what all of our spiritual journeys are about. Simone Biles, the great U.S. Gymnast, said that her Olympic competition has “taught me a lot about who I am…[and that] I always have more to give."
It is also fun to be a “fan”, especially when your Olympic fandom only has to last for a fortnight. Being a fan invokes a sense of awe and wonder and it triggers joy. When athletes perform something that seems totally inconceivable, we become vicariously a part of that amazing thing. This very notion is also central to faith. Our spiritual practice and Christian legacy is also full of inconceivable acts and stories from ancient history, yet we have the privilege of being part of these miraculous moments centuries later.
In a few weeks, our own Ali Truwit will be in Paris for the Paralympics. She continues to amaze all of us with her resilience and athleticism in the face of adversity. We are all fans and we look forward to cheering her on at the end of the month. Stay tuned for more details.
I hope you find some time this week to enjoy some of the Olympics and that you see the spiritual journey in it all. Even Snoop Dogg, the rapper turned NBC Olympic Commentator, noted that in the brief moment that he carried the Olympic torch he “was a symbol of peace for a moment in time.” That is something we can all aspire to whether we are carrying a flame from Mt. Olympus or simply allowing the inner flame of our spirit to shine peace for our families and friends.
Love, Cheryl