Goodbye til 2012

With the ending of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing came a feeling similar to that which is felt the day after Christmas. During the last 2 weeks, there was so much excitement, so much drama, and so much national pride. I was one of the billions of people that was on the edge of my seat while watching the 4x100 meter men's relay team ( I just watched it again, and wow, it is so exhilarating to watch. You can click on the link above if you want to watch it). I cried (well, almost) when Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson each won their own gold medal. I was stunned to see Usain Bolt become the fastest man in the world. I jumped up and down when both the men and women won a gold medal in sand volleyball. Now that it's over, all those emotions have come to a halt and you're returned to the normal routine of watching all the old shows, if you watch tv at all.

To watch all of these amazing athletes do what most normal people consider impossible is unbelievable. For these people to compete for their country is probably one of the most noble things they get to do. Although I did not participate in any Olympic competition, when I saw an American win a medal, I felt as though I had a part of it. And every time I heard the national anthem, our national anthem, play during a medal ceremony, I was reminded of what a great country we are privileged to live in.

In one of Annabelle's books, there is a poem that says:
'A child's year is a wonderful thing. I wonder what next year will bring'.
I think we can apply that concept to the next Summer Olympics. Will we have another 'Michael Phelps', will we reach or pass the 110 total medals our country received this time, and what new names will become world legends? These are all good questions, ones that will answered 4 years from now. So, farewell 2008 Olympics. Until we meet again in the streets of London in 2012.