XXI Winter Olympics are over

The Winter Olympics are over - I've put my 2002 SLOC parka back in the closet. It's odd - I'm not athletic nor have I been a follower of any real sports or sporting events. I don't watch sports on TV or listen to any on the radio (OK, I do follow BYU Football and even get down to a game or two in Provo each year). In addition, I don't really watch much of anything on TV; I don't have cable and there's not a lot on broadcast TV that I'm interested in (or think is worthwhile). But - when the Olympics are going I'm glued to the TV, very interested in many events that I know nothing about. I have a hard time telling the difference between a Giant Slalom and a Super-G. I don't know a good flip/twist/turn/fall on aerial skiing or the half-pipe from a bad one (at least I know it's not a good thing if someone falls down). I could never tell the difference between a double-axel from a triple sow-cow (see, I don't even know how to spell them). But, the Olympics do something for me. There's something about the Olympics for me that transcends sports. There's something noble, good, and unifying to have so many athletes from so many countries get together for 17 days be patriotic for their own countries but, at the same time, citizens of the world. There's something about seeing someone get displaced from the top-spot in an event and still give the person that displaced them a hug (in the case of women) or a high-five (in the case of men). There's something about seeing people overcome odds and adversity to be more than they thought they were. I feel really bad when people I know nothing about fall or miss a gate. Then, in the next event, someone I've also heard nothing about suddenly becomes a hero and someone I cheer for (e.g., Lindsey Vonn, Terah Bright, Steve Holcomb, Noelle Pikus-Pace) - especially if they're from Utah (either native or someone we've adopted because they spend part of the year here) or a member of the LDS Church. Certainly there are some athletes that are boasters, vain, childish, or weird - but I didn't see any (well, OK, the media may not focus too much on those - fortunately).
I don't think that I'm alone when I admit that, for me, one of the most memorable events was watching Joannie Rochette skate and then burst into tears at the conclusion of her routine. I've known grief at the lost of a loved one and understand hers. I have no idea how she did what she did.
I guess I'm an Olympics Romantic. I was a volunteer during the 2002 Olympics, and the parka (and vest and gloves and watch and ...) are prize possessions that I wear with pride. I'd volunteer again in a minute - it's a cause that I believe in. I'm grateful for the athletes that help me lift my sites a little higher, that inspire me to work through the hard times and keep pushing when I get tired.