The Olympics are Distracting

[wyld_dandelyon]

I don't know that I have anything particularly coherent to say about them. I think it was ysabetwordsmith  talking about needing to do other things to refill one's creative well, a year or more ago, so I'm not taking time to look for a link, but the imagery stuck with me.

And it's not like I've been feeling my creative groundwater running low or anything, but watching the olympics, all these young people and not-so-young people reaching for their dreams, despite injury, despite heartbreak, despite inclement weather and TV cameras watching their slightest gesture and biggest mistakes, and still jumping higher or going faster than I ever dreamed of going; teenagers with the presence of mind to add things to their routines when it's suddenly clear that someone raised the bar; the zen stillness at the start of every curling shot; the breathtaking beauty of people who can do triple jumps on ice in time to music--

And yeah, some of it is amazement at all the different things people can DO, and do so well and so beautifully, things that I never dreamed of doing, though sometimes I do dream of doing them, after a day watching.

It's amazing what the mirroring hardware in our brains lets us imagine!

And I feel it all, the triumphs and the heartache, and the beauty that the human body and spirit can achieve, filling that part of me that the stories rise from.

Comments

[red-trillium.livejournal.com]

I am always amazed at how much the athletes sacrifice to get to the Olympics. I know there's the whole "oh, they'll win medals" but there's so much money and time and training (and non-chocolate eating) involved it's amazing at how much they go through to put their bodies through that to prove they can do it.

[wyld-dandelyon.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I'm awfully competitive, but not THAT competitive. But I think it's more than that. It's the joy of doing the thing itself. I'm remembering a quote from one of those women ski-jumpers, "I love how it feels to fly".

And maybe that's part of the attraction for me too, that these people are able to put all that time into doing what they love, and receive recognition and appreciation for their accomplishments.

[valdary.livejournal.com]

I was watching the ice skating last night.

My kitten Cinders was fascinated, she climbed up on the TV unit and tried to catch the skaters, she went frantic when they spun, batting at the screen. It was so funny. I was sorry I had to lift her down to save the screen being knocked over.

[wyld-dandelyon.livejournal.com]

Oh, what a wonderful story! I'm sorry too!

Kittens are so much joy.

[sidheblessed.livejournal.com]

I was watching today when Australia won gold at the women's aerial. It was amazing to watch!

[wyld-dandelyon.livejournal.com]

Yes, it was!

And women's figure skating tonight. :-D Such a strong field of contenders, just like the mens' this year. I'm very much looking forward to it!

[xjenavivex.livejournal.com]

Would Torn World have an Olympics of sorts?

[wyld-dandelyon.livejournal.com]

It might! We haven't designed anything like that yet; just barely started talking about sports.

[xjenavivex.livejournal.com]

Cool!