Ok, who is LOVING watching the Olympics this year?? Don’t get me wrong…I love it EVERY year…what’s not to love about hot boys in swim gear? Right?? Ahem. 🙂 Moving on. One of my favorite events is always women’s gymnastics. It has been my favorite since I was a little girl. I have such vivid memories of Mary Lou Retton winning the gold…it made me want to be a gymnast…for about 5 minutes. Plus, as most of you know I am a giant…not a good quality in a gymnast…those ladies are pocket sized!
Last night watching the women’s team USA win the gold was so moving and inspiring. These girls have worked so incredibly hard for their ENTIRE life for that moment in time. Being able to be a part of that victory was just awesome. I found myself cheering and jumping up and down in my living room…now, the people in the apartment below me… I don’t think were as excited as I was! 🙂
As inspiring as winning the gold was for these ladies…that was not what moved me most. I was completely blown away by one young lady…Jordyn Wieber. From the very first step she took onto the gym floor I was completely mesmerized. I literally couldn’t take my eyes off her. I’m sure I wasn’t alone. For those of you that live under a rock or don’t like the Olympics (what’s wrong with you?? Did I mention HOT BOYS IN TINY SWIM GEAR??) So, going into these Olympic games Ms. Wieber was ranked number one in the world in women’s gymnastics. She was EVERYONE’S pick to win the gold in the women’s all around event. After a decent showing of rotations the other night she found herself edged out of the women’s all around qualifications. She was beat out by two of her other teammates and did not earn a spot to compete. CAN YOU IMAGINE??? You spend your entire life training to make it to that competition and you just barely fall short. How do you recover from something like that. I can’t even imagine the disappointment and sadness!! It wasn’t like she royally messed up…she just didn’t have her best night. Not to mention she had to turn around the NEXT day and compete with her team!! If it were me I would still want to lie in bed with my dozen cupcakes in my pj’s…let’s be honest.
I have to say what I couldn’t get over was her countenance….our faces NEVER lie. You can try to hide disappointment, but in the end your face will ALWAYS give you away. I’ll admit I’m the worst at broadcasting what I feel with my face…I just can’t hide it. The only exception to that is when I play poker…I give GREAT poker face. Where is Lady Gaga when you need her? teehee! Back to Jordyn. Her face was radiant…it was lit from deep inside. There was not an ounce of disappointment or jealousy….just peace. It moved me to tears. Literally. What amazing maturity and inner strength she must have. To step out in that arena after possibly the biggest disappointment in her life knowing that everyone was watching. All I kept thinking is…I WANT THAT. I want to remember this moment and learn from her. She gave an amazing performance and proved to the world why she was ranked number one in the world. She is a champion both inside and out.
For me this lesson couldn’t have come at a better time. It’s an important piece of the puzzle for me. How do you not just deal with disappointment, but how do you move on? It’s about accepting what you can’t change…learning from it and then stepping forward. The kicker is not just stepping forward, but stepping forward with peace and contentment. That’s HARD!! It was so obvious to me that she is one of those people who believes that things happen for a reason. I’m a big believer in that principle. I personally believe that my steps are ordered…no matter what happens. All things work together for good. Of course I know that doesn’t always mean it will happen the way I want it…or in the time frame that I think is best. In the end if I submit to my strong belief that He will order my steps, I can handle any disappointment and move forward with peace and contentment knowing that something golden might just be around the corner. It’s not about the disappointment…it’s about what you do AFTER!
Are you enjoying the Olympics?? What did you think about how Jordyn Wieber handled everything? What is your favorite event? I’m reading comments today, so let’s chat below!!
XOXOXO
Olivia 🙂
PS…I can’t wait for women’s Olympic Lifting today…I want to see how Holley Mangold does. 🙂