I'm not a cryer. I can count the number of times I've bawled like a little kid, in the last 10 years, on my two hands. Plus maybe a pinky toe. It sounds like I'm bragging, but it can be a problem. I hope I don't implode into a puddle of salt water someday. I just can't seem to let the all important liquid stress reliever flow. I've stubbed my toes, and lived through long nights of mulitple children throwing up multiple times. Long labors, epidurals that didn't quite take, (my afghani back just absorbs that stuff ya know). I've been so exhausted I just thought I was dizzy. But I don't really cry much. I swear.....(also not bragging, just keepin' it real) but I don't cry.
Unless I'm listening to the Star Spangled Banner. I love the olympics. Every four years, I cry like my dog just died. It helps me to avoid that salty implosion I mentioned. From Michael Phelps to that happy fencing chick, they all make me get weepy when the old stars and stripes are hauled up in glory and the familiar strains of the national anthem pick up, oh and if that lucky gold medalist is singing along? it's all over people. You'd think wylie coyote just dropped an anvil on my toe.
It's the last line that does it. "Oh say does that star spangled banner yet wave? Ore the land of the free and the home of the brave." Images of battle fatigued soldiers, in yankee blue, to omaha beach green struggling to fight and survive flood my mind. Men and women who leave their families for years to protect that flag, men who died on a dusty roadside in a faraway country, soldiers who come home missing parts of themselves. That's why it's the home of the brave. And it's those words that make me think that all of our own individual battles can be won with that quality we've all inherited.
I think an athlete can serve their country too. It's probably why the singing brings me to tears. It's great to see a physical battle, were the victims are only standing in awe and admiration for the usurper. Not fear and hopelessness. Poor little Lazlo Cseh is thinking, "I wanna be like Mike." The olympics are the best of us all. Wouldn't it be so much better to take out all our competitive drive on the handball court? To aspire to great power by who can swim the most races? Too bad somebody doesn't say, "hey Kim Jong Il, you can have nuclear weapons if you can preform a balance beam routine better than Nastia Luikin. " I'm sure if we could take away his power like that, he'd be weeping like a baby.
8 comments:
it would be sad if your dog died...especially if its name was Maggie he he. I agree that having our wars fought in the pool, track or balance beam would be pretty awesome. I'm sure the competitors would be puking there guts up with anxiety...poor kim jung il, I take that back. That would be hilarious.
Wow Maggie. You said it. Although I can say I'm not a crier like some girls I know--I do cry a little more than counting all the times on all my fingers. Well, if you don't count that first year of marriage, maybe I can't :)
Anyway, I DO so love the olympics. I tear up all the time at the national anthem. And actually get a little upset when the athlete isn't mouthing/singing it. Come on, show your patriotism. That fencing one was awesome too, because we got all three medals (metals?) So they raised THREE American flags. It was great.
I did almost cry last night when there was a storm and our dish went out as they were showing the girls gymnastics. Dumb storm. Not really, I wasn't even close to crying. But I was mad.
You totally said it. I am the same way. I don't really cry, except when I'm pregnant...then I cry like all the time.
I'm with ya! I can't really cry in my real life, but if I hear a really good country song or see a touching commercial my eyes well up with tears! I love, love the Olympics and seeing all the great athlete:)
So I had to open my big mouth...I heard the new Carrie Underwood's song about a military wife and they hand her a flag and oh my gosh! I cried...not like my dog got ran over but a 'that could be me or my friends' tears. That's what I get for braggin that I don't cry!
Wonderful post. I do cry and it seems to increase with age and children. But for some reason my heartstrings are pulled with that same beautiful song. Is it because my man is a member of the Air force? I don't really know but his playing the drums isn't what I think of when I think of the brave. Don't get me wrong because I believe what he does is important too but I just think it's this love of our homeland. There's a spansih song ( I think it's cuban) called Patria and it's so beautiful that even though cuba is not my homeland when I listen to the words I think of their love of their country and how much I love my own. Is that weird? it probably is but I do love this country and I agree we should battle it out in the sports arena.
I wish I could count on just one hand how many times I've cried...I know Jeff's life would be made easier in that regard. I too cry when I hear the National Anthem...even at Baseball games. It makes me proud to be an American! Let me tell ya, Kim Jong Il could use a little exercise, not to mention a few other choice World Leaders! Too funny. :)
don't hate me but the star spangled banner doesn't really get me. i feel patriotic when i hear "oh beautiful" or the neil diamond song (for serious, you should have seen me at the concert shouting "today!" with him). loving the olympics as well even the the chinese gymnasts are not old enough.
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