We interrupt your regularly scheduled programing to bring you the Rio Olympics…

Dear Olympians,

Thank you.  Thank you for reminding us that there can be peace among nations.  Thank you for your excellence.  You showed us that hard work and dedication pays off.  You inspired us to want to be committed to something.  Something bigger than us.  Something that requires sacrifice. Something that builds character.  It was good to be reminded that it is possible to be both in competition and respectful at the same time.  It was refreshing to see that the ideals of sportsmanship, courteousness, and consideration are not lost.

As always, there were stunning victories. Beautiful to the eye.  Breathtaking in their beauty and excellence.  There were astonishing defeats.  The kind that shock and stun us.  Yet, even in the heartbreak moments you stood tall.  Even with the disappointment rolling down your cheeks you were Olympians. There were injuries, falls, and failures but you got up and kept going.  You persevered.  You proved you were worthy of the title.  In all of the events you did your best.  We love you for that.

For two short weeks you made us forget the violence, the disagreements, and the disunity of our world. It is the goal of the games, is it not?  To unify the world, no matter what is happening.  You proved that when we put aside our disputes and instead, celebrate our differences, a mutual respect bonds us together. You showed us that medal counts are more fun than body counts…and that even medal counts aren’t really the point.  The thrill of the competition, the honor of being chosen, the joy of completing a long chased dream, the excitement of being on a world stage, the love of sport, the sheer beauty of fans and athletes of ALL countries sharing the elation of the games…THESE are the things that inspire us.  YOU inspire us.  From the bottom of our hearts we say thank you.

Sincerely,

Michelle Gunnin

Unfortunately, you may now resume your regularly scheduled programing…