Spectator

I can't wait to watch the London Olympics Opening Ceremony on TV. As of this writing, it's just hours away. I am excited to see how my favorite athletes perform in their events. I spent lunch hour at work looking at photos of athletes winning medals in their sport at the 2008 Games in Beijing. I got so emotional. Hence, I came back to class and discussed the module on US Culture teary-eyed and with a catch in my throat. My trainees thought I was crazy. I have officially caught the 2012 Olympics fever.

all photos from Getty Images through sports.yahoo.com

I'm sure you recognize most of the athletes - Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, Rafael Nadal - in the collage I made above. The look of pure exhilaration on their faces is priceless. The feeling must be indescribable - something they will treasure and remember until their last breaths.

I've always wanted to be more athletic but I grew up with bad eye sight, flat feet, a poor sense of balance and asthma. It's safe to say that the odds were not in my favor. My brothers, on the other hand, are good athletes. As Bosconians in high school, they played football. My eldest brother is the most athletic one in the family as he was an avid footballer in his teens. He also plays basketball, tennis, badminton and table tennis. He studied aikido and is a pretty good swimmer. My sister isn't really sporty but she can dance well. I, on the other hand, cannot even ride a bicycle. I can swim, though. My mom enrolled me in swimming classes at the local YMCA for three straight summers because my doctor advised her it's a good activity to strengthen my lungs. I learned, yes, so it was money well-spent. My strokes are accurate and in good form. I wasn't fast but I had decent endurance. Was I good enough to compete? Heck, no. Still, I am the official family klutz.

It's a good thing I married someone who loves sports. The Husband plays basketball whenever he can and participates in company-sponsored football games from time to time. I hope our daughter grows up doing sports, or at least, pursuing an active lifestyle. She has expressed interest in badminton and swimming. For now, she likes to ride her purple bike on our street. 

There's nothing wrong with being a spectator and standing in the sidelines while cheering on our athletes and our favorite teams, but sometimes, in life, there are moments you have to be in the middle of where the action is.

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