A bit of withdrawal

  Did any of you beautiful people wake up yesterday and miss the Olympic updates that notified you through your phone?  Or maybe it was the endless hours of coverage on the tele?
  Well that was me Monday morning, checking my phone first thing, only to find that it is over.
  Ahh, sigh.  Big sigh.
  I was entertained endlessly.  I cried tears.  I felt my heart beat with the nerves, with the anticipation, the joy, the heartbreak, the exaltation of victory and the agony of defeat.
  The thing that stuck out to me was the confidence of the athletes.  Now I know it seems like it should go hand in hand, a no-brainer, right?  Well, for me it was so much more than that, confidence, I mean.  Yes, undeniably every athlete attending was the best their country had to offer.  Obviously they had all faced adversity, endless hours of repetitive practice, and every sort of injury imaginable to the human body, (seriously, how do many of them come back from that sort of bodily brokenness, only to put themselves in the same circumstance which took them out of the game to begin with.
  But there was more.

  Here's what I know

   Iron will ~ That's what I saw; an unquenchable burning that pushes each individual to go further, push harder, give a little more, sacrifice one more thing, surrender to their purpose.
  Confidence ~ It exceeded their skill, though somehow remained far from arrogant and the sort of cocky that turns you off.
  Love & Passion ~ who does that to themselves unless it is a part of them.  That thing that calls to them in the wee hours of the morning to participate.  The glowing light that, for this portion of life, they were made to do.  That's right: made to do. 
  Accomplishment ~ I wonder if there is any greater nod to an artist in any field than to step up and be a part of the competition, never mind the honor to take a step further and be elevated on the podium, and further still, to watch your flag raised and hear your anthem sung.

 Indeed, all these things are Priceless!

  I'm in withdrawal.  I will happily admit it.  The Olympics, as I've said before, are one of my most favorite things.  I love the camaraderie , the focus, the beauty of a united world, the pressure of competition, the agony of defeat, the tough decisions that are make or break, the surrender to the moment - leaving it all on the field/track/ice/hill, the beauty of the moment that steals your breath and ignites belief in your heart.
  I love it.