My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the Paris Olympics on television.  Of course, the city was Paris.  We’ve been there so what else can you say?  The network and event announcers had done their homework and were knowledgeable and enthusiastically contagious.  The crowds were massive and the celebrities in those crowds were interesting.  And then there were the athletes!  Wow!  So many highly trained and skilled participants in all kinds of sports-some known others not!  But all competing in friendly competition for their nation and themselves.

As a United States citizen and speaking for me, watching Simone Biles and the American gymnasts win the Gold Medal was particularly meaningful as were so many other events in swimming, golf, track and field, etc.  Having a ring side seat at the events cannot be overstated.  While watching these Games, I couldn’t help but think that the world doesn’t have to be in turmoil-violence, power struggles, and mistrust do not have to be the order of the day.  If so many nations of the world can come together in cooperation of friendly competitions, why can’t this spirit of cooperation become the obsession of all political leaders and citizens around the world?

One other thing!  I never think about the Olympics without having a flashback to the 1980 Olympics.  That was the year the amazing U.S. Hockey Team won the Gold Medal by defeating Finland.  While everyone else was absolutely ecstatic over the victory, Jim Craig, the star goal tender for the U.S., was asking, “Where is my father?” You could read the words on his lips.  And when later asked by a commentator who was the greatest man he had ever known, Jim replied, “My father!” That moment when, in the midst of unsurpassable excitement, Jim Craig looked for his father, was like a message from above.  Jim Craig was reiterating the absolute importance of our homes.  May we never forget.