The Spirit of Sport
Most people will never have the experience of competing in the Olympics. Those that do are the exceptional athletes who are willing to train and make huge sacrifices to reach an impressive goal...to win a medal, to be the best in the world. Those who achieve that goal become instant heros and are bathed in the acculades and media attention deserving of such an accomplishment. But what about those who do not win a medal or even achieve their goals? To me they are heros too, amazing people like Adam van Koeverden (Canadian Olympic kayak sprinter) who inspire us by the depth of their dedication and their true love of sport. Athletes like Adam who show such grace, wisdom and vulnerability not only after a victory, but even more impressively, after a devastating loss.
We all face defeat at times, but not under such exceptional cirmstances and the scruntiny of the world minutes after that defeat. To be able to walk through that with such dignity and openness tell us so much about these athletes and inspires those of us watching, not to become an Olympian perhaps, but to become the kind of person who has such tremendous strength and heart.
I probably won't remember who won medals in the 2016 Olympics, but I will remember Adam Koeverden and athletes like him who remind us what is truly important in life, and what real success is. No, I won't remember who won what medal once the games are over, but I will remember the spirit of all the Olympians who gave everything they had, chose not to be defeated, and in so doing, gave themselves and the world something way more valuable than a medal!
The Spirit of Victory
we hear the call
to compete,
to be our best...
we dig deep,
we open up,
we conquer fears...
the ultimate challenge of
body and mind
and spirit...
all else is
just the stage,
for true victory
lies inside...
Penny Bowman
pennyb151@gmail.com
pennyb151@gmail.com
