Closing Ceremonies Doesn't Mean It's Over

From the Urban Dictionary:

1.	Wonderwall	1370 up, 311 down
	A barrier which separates the mundane from the Transcendent Reality. A true Wonderwall will always have a crack, or a slit or an opening which allows anyone a glimpse of what lies beyond the Wonderwall. I peeked through the opening of the Wonderwall and saw a dim glimmer of Krishna.

Over the last two weeks, I've been transfixed by the Olympics.  This isn't the first time, but it's the first time I've really understood them.  Or understood why I was so transfixed.  It's the dedication.  It's the sacrifice.  I truly appreciated each athlete and what their dedication to excellence means for themselves and for their country.

And it started me thinking.  An Olympic athlete decides that they want to be the best at an early age.  They find something they love and spend their life perfecting it.  They sacrifice time with friends and family.  They choose kale and swiss chard over a burger and fries.  Maybe even a green shake in the morning filled with spinach over pancakes.

The band Beady Eye (made up of former members of Oasis) played at the Closing Ceremonies.  They performed their hit Wonderwall.  My wife asked what a wonderwall was.  Neither of us knew so she asked Siri, who led us to the urban dictionary.  And that was the above definition.

Once I heard it, I realized how perfect the song was for the Closing Ceremonies.  That's what the Olympics are.  It is a wonderwall.  It allows us ordinary folk to view the transcendent through the cracks in it.  It shows us what is possible if you have goals and the will to achieve them.  

The older I get, the more I realize what's important in my life.  I am a goal oriented person.  Every year I write a list of personal and family goals and how I'm going to achieve them.  Some I achieve, some I don't.  I will never be an Olympic athlete, but I can show that Olympic dedication in my ordinary life.  Dedicate myself to my family and friends.  Dedicate myself to the work.  And this past year, I've dedicated myself to writing.

It's something we can all do.  Dedicate yourself to what's important to you.  You'll soon realize that true happiness comes when you are doing what you love, and dedicating your time and life to it.  Choosing the items that are important over those that used to be important won't even be a sacrifice then. 

I've got a renewed dedication to my goals.  I want to look back with joy that I spent my time with the people I loved doing what I loved.  Stopping a lifetime of regrets starts with deciding what is important.  Once that is decided, your choices will be guided by these goals.  What others will consider sacrifice, you'll call dedication. 

Want to run that first 5k?  Well, you'll have to spend time running and eating right.  What about that new job?  Spend the time researching the job market and possible opportunities and maybe avoid checking those last links on espn.com.  Work on the marriage?  You'll have to cut back on softball and bowling leagues or ask your wife to join.  Get out of credit card debt?  You'll have to say no to some dinners with friends and those new clothes.

But it's all worth it because you've seen the wonderwall.  You've seen the joy on the other side and what can be accomplished with a little sacrifice.  So, enjoy Wonderwall by the original creators:   

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