Go for the Gold!!!

"We are of one blood, you and I." - Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book.

It's the Olympics once again. And this time, it has returned to where it all began...Greece!

Before I went to work this morning, I have waited for the torch to be brought in the stadium and let them light it up. The lighting of the torch wasn't as grand as Barcelona (that I have to admit was still the best torch lighting ceremony that have ever gotten to watch), but it was still magnificent nonetheless. The huge torch that will light up for the whole duration of the event was similar to the torch that they have been passing on around the world. But it was enlarged to x10000 or even more.

Ever since I could remember, my family have been watching the opening ceremony. It was more or less the only thing that we really never failed to watch. It shows the creativity of the country and the people who were organizing it. It also never ceases to amaze me how conflicting countries call it truce and play with each other fairly.

I love the lighting of the torch ceremony. It was the highlight of the event. And the fact that the light of that torch was lit the conventional way (a mirrored pan that reflects the light of the sun generating heat to lit the torch) was amazing in itself. But each country that has hosted the olympics have been very creative in lighting the main torch in their stadium. They have used every means necessary to make it very eventful and remembered as the years go by. There were platforms that was raised to make the bearer reach the huge torch there were corded little couldron that raises up to the huge torch, then there was a replica of the mini torch that was passed on during the marathon thingie and when it came to the arena, it bowed down to recieve it's light...the list goes on. But as I've said, the best so far that I have encountered was the one in Barcelona, where in the final passing of the torch there was a blind archer in the end of the line and lit the torch with a fired up arrow. It was a sight to behold (no pun intended for the blind archer who lit that torch).

Olympics is a very touching event for me. When I was watching the parade of colors (where they introduce the different countries participating), it moved me to tears. It was really a good feeling to see people of all shapes and sizes, young and all, different colored skins, different languages and different beliefs and cultures converged into one area, treat each other as friends and compete against one another in a friendly way.

Now, why can't we do that instead of going into war? Why can't we just use the olympics as a way to settle differences? Why can't we just drop our guns, get down from that plane and tanks and what nots and just play against one another in friendly competition? Do we really need those weapons of destruction to settle our differences where more lives are at stake? Do we really need to all these ways of destroying each other when we can actually just play against one another to fix our conflicts?

Think about it. The olympics is a way of showing camaraderie in different countries. It is a way to reach out and touch the hearts of those we do not know and help each other out. It is a way to make friends of old enemies and tie a bind of friendship. It is a way of showing people that everyone can be hospitable and open to one another. It is a way to actually find peace and finish off this war that shouldn't have happened.

Olympics is here again. And I hope that the spirit of the olympics finally reach the hearts of everyone and make them see that there's more to it that just a game were everyone competes to be the best representative for their country. I hope that the spirit of the olympics would be with everyone and finally end the conflicts that our color, beliefs, culture and language has helped create. To me, the olympics is not just an event that housed different games to compete in, it's a way to find peace.