By Rich Green
IV Leader Staff
So there I am, glued to the television, like a preteen
watching Hannah Montana. My eyes are bugging out of my skull, and my jaw
exceeding the maximum drop allowance predetermined by my mandible.
There I am, just like everyone else, living my life 50 meters
at a time. There he is, some goofy looking kid from Michigan on his way to
breaking another world record. Is he really part dolphin? Maybe… America’s new
hero? Scratch that… Worldwide hero? Definitely.
Not many moments in my short life have captivated a nation
quite the way that this year’s Olympics did. I found myself rooting for the USA
like Toby Keith does on every album.
It didn’t matter what crazy event it was. Rowing starts at 4
a.m.? I am there. Wait, we lost? Oh, no worries, the USA men’s basketball team
is playing Angola in 30 minutes.
Amidst all the controversy surrounding the issues with China
hosting these Olympics, the escalating situation with Russia and Georgia, even
our issues back home, we lost ourselves in those 17 days in Beijing.
It didn’t bring world peace, it didn’t resolve all conflicts,
but happenings like these are a step in the right direction. Families became
closer, maybe you chatted with your neighbor for the first time, or just maybe
you set aside your differences with that rival Cubs fan.
As I sit back and look over a recently destroyed bowl of
cereal, I ponder: Is it really over? No more Michael Phelps? No more Usain Bolt?
No more medal controversies? No more Tae Kwon Do kicks to the temple of an
unsuspecting referee?
Beijing for me and most undoubtedly the rest of us will make
these Olympics games the most unforgettable for years to come.