My Love/Hate Relationship
I have the same problem every four years. I am the sort of person who stays up all night to watch every single event in the Olympics. I develop a mad passion for handball, fencing, and diving. But the one thing I can’t stand about the Olympics is the commentators. An Olympic competitor is in the top echelon of their field, to be there is an honor in and of itself. Some people don’t plan their whole lives around winning a Gold Medal, so I can’t stand people who act like it is a punishment to win a Silver Medal. However, I know you don’t show up at the Olympics to simply be present. You damn well show up to win; why else did you make your parents move to Texas to give you this chance?
What makes me angrier is when the commentators ruin the act of performing with criticism. “Oh, that is a .34252% deduction, which will keep her out of medal contention.” When did we decide that a diver needs to keep their hips perpendicular? Why did we draw the out of bound lines there? Who made these decisions and why didn’t they ask me? Now, I don’t think I am the center of the universe, but these absurd rules disturb me. Not because some 16 year old will not win a medal, but it causes me to reflect on my former life.
Nine years ago, this week I was a freshman in college and I walked by a sign that said, “Join the Speech Team!” In High School I adored competing in Oral Interp (what they called it in South Dakota, and what my Mom calls it to this day,). So I showed up to the second meeting and found my home. No one remembers me being there until late October, because I didn’t talk for a month. And no believes I can be quiet of that long. I was listening to see if these were my people, if this is where I wanted to stay. My life was permanently altered by that sign. I choose my major because of that sign. I met my husband because of that sign. Most of my life is a reaction to that sign. (more…)