Nearly every night for the past 11 days, I have been reveling in the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. Watching these amazing athletes’ extraordinary feats has been the best antidote to horrible headlines and stress. It has also helped me get through my bout with the flu and the lagging fatigue and residual, annoying cough.
I am a sucker for the whole spectacle. I feel elated when “old” athletes, who are at least half my age, triumph, as did Italy’s Federica Brignone, whose courageous comeback in the women’s giant slalom earned her gold. Honestly, her win brought tears to my eyes (to the extent I can make tears).
And my heart goes out to those who fall, like champion skier Lindsey Vonn and ice skating wonder Ilia Malinin. Vonn’s skiing career may be over (I really hope she doesn’t risk breaking her leg or shredding her ACL again), but Malinin will be one to watch in 2030. I wish him well and hope he learns from his Olympic experience to keep growing and striving for his personal best.
I will never be able to soar through the air like freestyle skier Eileen Gu, but I love watching her fly with such joy. I am inspired by the extraordinary grace and strength of ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates. But what moves me the most is the sportsmanship of so many athletes from around the world, who compete so intensely and then congratulate each other so graciously.
Our world could use a lot more of that spirit. May it be so.
Evelyn Herwitz blogs weekly about living fully with chronic disease, the inside of baseballs, turtles and frogs, J.S. Bach, the meaning of life and whatever else she happens to be thinking about at livingwithscleroderma.com. Please view Privacy Policy here.
Image: Passo Falzarego, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, by Marco Czollmann
We’ve also been watching and I couldn’t agree more with everything you say, Evie. Especially the good sportsmanship, so rare in athletic contests these days, like Ilia Malinin rushing over to congratulate the dumbfounded Kazhak skater who discovers he’s winning the gold after the heavy favorite, Malinin, missed the podium; like the two women skiers who had shared the top spot in the standings until Brignone laid down her amazing run and they greeted her at the finish line with deep bows, all laughing together. More, please!
Yes. Sorry that it’s all over!