Going for Gold
I’m not sure whether the Olympics are more incredible as a kid or as an adult. I remember sitting hunched over my dad’s portable 2 inch TV in the back seat of his Chevy Astro, aiming and reaming the antenna, with my mom and sister looking over my shoulder as Kristi Yamaguchi took Gold in ‘92. I remember being amazed at the things these adults could do, literally pushing the limits of the human body, let alone on ice and snow. Today I’m amazed that so many of these people are my peers.
Greatness, in all it’s forms is really something fantastic to watch. I really can’t get enough of it. (Speaking of greatness, I want to add and check off another line item on my Stuff To Do list. Huge thanks to Lori for the tix to see Placido Domingo conduct the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for Verdi’s Stiffelio. It’s been a while since my last opera, and this one delivered.)
In a sense, these individuals devote their entire lives to their country. Admittedly, it’s not an altruistic type of commitment, but if I had to spend only a couple of the most miserable months of my life waking up at 5 AM to do conditioning before school, followed by 2.5 hours of practice after the same day of school just to become an embarrassingly bad wrestler, I can only imagine what the top athletes in the world must go through. They give everything just for the opportunity to represent their country and take their shot at gold. (Not real gold, mind you…apparently it’s mostly silver with gold plating. Even the bronze is made of copper…one giant penny you could say…but still, no real monetary value.) And most of them seem to be fairly stand up people (excluding Johnny Weir perhaps), and a large number of them use their fame to continue to give back to the sport and people around the world.
Which is just more proof to me that national service would do a lot of good in this country. Now hear me out.
We had another senator retire yesterday because, according to him, congress is broken. I feel the same. Frankly the only person who seems genuinely concerned about my life and my future is Obama himself. Watching the State of the Union only solidified that feeling. Even the most obviously necessary or beneficial bills stand no chance against huge corporate lobbying campaigns.
And what ever happened to accountability? It seems to have been replaced by more bonuses and “Celebrity Apprentice.”
Look, the system works great so long as people have integrity and take responsibility and pride in their work, and their country. I just think we’ve lost that in our quest for another type of gold. The prosperity that our ancestors sewed for us seems to have led many of us to seek only more and more prosperity no matter the cost.
Maybe, just maybe, if all of us were required to do a little national service, we might reverse this trend and start operating like the best country in the world. Now national service doesn’t mean military service, although it could. What I mean is a year or two, that each of us are required to give to our country. I mean a chance to be exposed to environments totally foreign to you, and work intimately alongside people and who are completely different than you all on a level playing field. I mean learning the rewarding feeling of helping others and acting selfless. I mean providing the basic services to our citizens that the #1 country in the world should provide, and which are often neglected because they aren’t profitable. I mean making national pride and camaraderie, generosity, and volunteerism a part of our culture.
I mean actually earning what our parents and grandparents have provided for us through their sacrifice to this country.
I’m reminded of a story my Dad used to tell. A man was traveling alongside a field when he came upon an old man planting a carob tree. The traveler asked the old man how long it would take to bear fruit and the old man replied “seventy years.” The traveler then asked the old man if he thought he would live another seventy years to be able to eat from the carob tree. The old man replied that all his life he tasted the fruit of the carob trees planted by his grandfather and father. So, too, would he plant for his children, and his children’s children.
Think about it.
Last thought…why do all the speed skaters wear glasses?
Happy birthday Aunt Ada.
Movie: Gran Turino
TV: Olympics 2010
Opera: Stiffelio, Verdi
Album: Absolution, Muse