It is Monday, August 13th, and I am suffering from Olympics withdrawal. For fourteen days, the athletes of the games have given me inspiration and have invited me to be a part of their celebrations. Their stories of courage (think Oscar Pistorius running on prosthetic legs), of change (think of Sarah Attar, the first female athlete from Saudi Arabia), and of sportsmanship (think of swimmers congratulating their rivals in the next lane) allowed me to be a part of something meaningful.
NBC reported that the London Olympics were the most watched Olympic Games in history. I can only imagine the cost for a 30 second spot for a commercial, and there were a lot of commercials. However, for me, Nike’s Find Your Greatness spot lingers. The commercial shows Nathan: an overweight boy jogging on a two-lane road in London, Ohio, bordered by farm fields. The boy is alone and his shuffling feet barely leave the ground. The narrator reminds us that “greatness” is not something reserved for only the chosen few; rather, “greatness” is as unique to us as breathing; we are all capable of it.
What an important message to convey to students as we begin the year. “Greatness” is about striving to be your best self; it is about challenging yourself with new opportunities; it is about getting back up after failure to try to again; it is about unrelenting pursuit of a passion; it is about going for a run alone. “Greatness” reveals itself in the act of striving as much as it does in the outcome of winning. Perhaps this thought will remind us to strive towards high ideals in spite of fear of failure or lack of self-confidence, but I also hope this message will remind us to remember another important element of the Games: encouragement and support for others.
Perhaps that’s what I can do to honor the Games and keep the spirit alive: cheer for the student (colleague, spouse, or friend,) going for his or her own version of a “lonely run” in hopes of striving for being better tomorrow than today. Maybe that’s the way to honor the games until 2016 when I can once again suspend any productive evening chores to be a part of something bigger than me.
Cornerstone 