Ever since I was a child, I have been following the Olympic Games. I think I owe this to my father who was an avid sportsman, among other things. Though we would watch most sports events that would be telecast on the limited channels we had back in those days, the Olympic Games were special. There was something magical about the games, and it may sound funny now, but, being young, back then I would imagine myself being a part of the next Olympic Games as a participant. That water has definitely flown under the bridge now.
But, even today, I look forwarding to watching the Olympic Games with the eagerness and enthusiasm of a child. Let me tell you why.
It happens only once every four years
Anything that happens only once every four years has to be special, right?
To be honest, that should not be the only reason for following anything, but if a sports event that happens only once every four years, and showcases almost all major sports that are played on the planet, does not pique your interest, I am not sure what will.
It’s all about sports
The Olympics are about sports, and sports are fun to play, and watch. There is a reason why even in our school days we are forced to writes essays on why sports are important to us and what they teach us. Watching the greatest athletes on TV doing what they do best is a treat to watch, but what is even more fascinating is the way these athletes deal with winning and losing. It is as if Rudyard Kipling wrote these lines especially for them:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’
It teaches you some of life’s greatest lessons
Most of us tend to believe that success, at least on a grand scale, is not something we are all destined for. We believe that it is a few chosen ones who are born to be special, and the rest of us are meant to live our days as ordinary mortals.
As, Chandler Bing would say, “Could you be more wrong?”
You only have to look at the lives of great athletes like Jesse Owens, Nadia Comăneci, Carl Lewis, Emil Zátopek, to name a few, to realise how you can make the impossible possible through hard work, grit, and determination.
In fact, most athletes have stories that are not different from yours, or mine. It’s just that they chose to write their own stories rather than let others dictate it for them. This fact is further highlighted by the fact that this time there is a Refugee Olympic Team that is scheduled to compete in the Games. These athletes have overcome the most trying ordeals to be a part of the event. We could definitely learn a thing or two from them.
Better than any other TV show
These days TV is full of shows, some great ones and others not so much. But let me assure you that there is no show on earth that is going to be better than the Olympic Games. The best part of the Games is that you can watch it with your friends, family, or relatives regardless of their age or interests. While most shows are genre specific and may not be liked by everyone, but, once you get over the initial resistance, sports can be watched by one and all.
So, as always, I am going to be watching the Olympic Games 2016. I hope you will too. And, if anything that I have said above does not convince you to watch the Olympic Games, maybe this small video will:
What do you think?