Unity & the Olympics

I'm speaking from my heart, here.

It seems as though the past year in the United States has been nothing but turmoil. Well, the past couple of years, really. Let's be honest, we've gotten use to hearing sad and disturbing news reports every evening while making dinner. The steady climb of social media, race relations, gun control, parenting choices, and politics have put us in a divisive mentality in our daily lives. My newsfeed and twitter is constantly retweeted "news" articles (yes, I mean to put that in quotations) and memes that put ourselves in a specific category. Why do we do it? Because we're angry!

And with the start of the political election last summer, things have gotten worse. We're getting more angry and more hateful. We have two nominees for the presidential election and without any thought we have compared one of them to that of Adolf Hilter and another one we so callously say should be thrown in jail. Two things that I don't think should be thrown around lightly. We find anything to take sides about and we chastise the people who don't agree with us. I can't even tell you how many people I have unfollowed on Facebook because I can't stand the fighting anymore. It's enough to make a sane person crazy. Actually...its just enough.

I've had it. I'm tired of the divisiveness that this country has gotten to and I have been desperate to feel any sense of unity.

Cue the Olympics.

I've always loved the Olympic games and enjoy watching the top people in the world compete on the same level to be the best of the best.

This year I was craving it. This year the Olympics is about more than just sports, to me, its about feeling the sense of pride in our country. The USA has always been a power house to beat in these games, but this year I just needed something to root for in our country.

I'm like a little kid on Christmas morning, excited to turn on the news and hear about Katie Ledecky shattering her own world record. Watching the women's gymnastics team dominate the competition and there really was no competition, they beat the other countries by a long shot. I was tearing up this morning seeing the footage of Michael Phelps kissing his baby after winning two more gold medals to add to his collection. I've never exclaimed "USA! USA!" more in my life! And even though he's not an American, I can't wait to watch Usain Bolt set records and beat them in track and field.

The media is finally reporting on things that feel positive besides running away with a news story about which politicians are currently in a Twitter fight.

It just hits home with me. We are a great country and we're becoming our own worst enemy. Our ego is getting in our own way and we will self destruct. But for these two weeks, we can have the same common pride in ourselves as a country. We can watch people of all different races and backgrounds represent the United States because THAT'S what makes us a great country.

I hope we keep this feeling that we can root for each other even if we're different. Isn't that what we're all about as Americans?

Oh say, does that star - spangled banner yet wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

USA.
xoxo