My Life: The magic of the Olympics continues

My first memory of the Olympics is the 1996 games in Atlanta. I was 8 years old and watching the Magnificent Seven U.S. gymnastics team.

I turned the top of my couch into a balance beam, and, to the horror of my parents, made my own vault out of a chair and pillows.

Even at that young age, I was caught up in the magic of the Olympics. I remember being mesmerized by the performances of Dominique Moceanu, and of course Kerri Strug's vault that brought the U.S. women's gymnastics team their first Olympic team gold.

I realize now that watching the games gave me my first understanding of passion and drive and of what it meant to be the best.

I also experienced the feeling of glory for the first time. I remember the crowd cheered so loudly that the gymnasts sometimes had trouble hearing their own music.

This crowd reaction was at times more awe-inspiring than the actual performances.

This response also caused me to think truly about my future: One day I wanted to gain this recognition, maybe not in sports, but in some achievement.

Ironically, most people don't care about gymnastics or swimming except during the Olympics when we sit glued to our televisions watching with pride and sometimes tears as our heroes accept their medals and sing our national anthem.

The Olympics also transcend our national pride and seem to bring the whole world together. This year's closing ceremonies represented one of the first times I realized a sense of peace among the nations.

All the athletes were dancing together to British bands such as the Spice Girls and The Who. Even the stadium audience was participating. Millions more were probably dancing at home.

Even though the closing ceremonies were British themed, I shared a sense of pride and respect at the raising of Rio de Janeiro's flag to host the 2016 summer Olympics. The Brazilian cultural singing and dancing that followed was even more spectacular.

It is always sad when the Olympics come to a close, but it is interesting to think where I will be in four years and who the next inspiring athletes will be, who will return to the games to reclaim their medal and capture greatness.

The Olympic games are significant to our culture and our world because they remind us what it means to be passionate and hopeful and to unite us as a nation and as one human spirit.

E-mail Corin Harpe at corinharpe@gmail.com.

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