There are so many reasons why I love the Olympics. I love summer Olympics and winter Olympics. I love them all equally, and each time they're going on, I decide I like the one that's on better than the other one. But the truth is, I can't decide.
But I love all of the Olympics for multiple reasons.
First, most Olympic athletes aren't making $10 million a year. They're doing this because they love it. They've dedicated their lives to training and competing for this moment, every 4 years. And that is absolutely incredible.
I love watching people do something they're passionate about and living their dreams. I love when they cry or fall down after their event because they're so incredibly excited. I just love it. Sometimes I even want to cry. Sometimes I almost do.
The second reason why I love the Olympics is because people are amazing. This year, there is a double amputee running. He raced in th semi-final for the men's 400m. There was another guy racing from the U.S. who was caught in a random shotgun crossfire a few years ago and just had the last fragments removed a year ago. The gymnast who began gymnastics as part of a free inner-city program and dreams of winning a medal to move his family out of the ghetto.
The commentators always talk about the Olympic spirit, and it's so true. These people are amazing.
Another reason the Olympics are awesome is that there are all these incredible sports that never get the attention they deserve. I, for one, think swimming and gymnastics are much more exciting than golf or basketball or baseball, but you don't see them aired on TV every week. And some things that you would never think are exciting actually are, like crew and archery.
They seem a little boring, but I find myself cheering for the athletes anyway, no matter what country.
Which brings me to another reason why the Olympics rock. Because every 4 years (actually every 2, since there's summer and winter), the world competes in sports against each other. The entire world!
The whole world works together and competes together and hugs each other and congratulates each other and gets excited together and has these awesome ceremonies together and roots for one another.
And that, to me, is incredibly amazing.
It's a shame the world can't get along that well any other time. But that's another story.
And I can't leave this blog post without talking about one other thing that makes the Olympic Games awesome. Actually, I could go on forever, but I'll have to contain myself.
The final things I'll mention are the Visa Go World commercials.
I know they're commercials advertising a corporation and all that, but they make me cry. Seriously.
To gear up for the 2012 London Games, I sat in my room and watched Go World commercials on YouTube. And I cried.
The Michael Phelps one from Beijing when he won more golds than anyone ever!
The Derek Redmond one where his father helps him finish the race!
The Nadia Comaneci one!
They're all so inspiring and amazing. I love them. Triumph of the human spirit, indeed.
Oh, and one more thing before I go. I love that the Olympics are everywhere around the world and you get to see all these different locations and different cultures. I dream of going to the Olympic games one day. Hopefully that will happen.
