We have this year witnessed amazing athletes from all over the world coming together to compete in the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. What I enjoyed most were the interviews and commentaries before and after the events, and the pride and joy of the supporters who had travelled the long road with the competitors to be there.
As a child I was praised by my parents for doing well at school, and that motivated me to always work hard and aim to be top of the class. I also wanted to be in the first netball team, the top country dancing set, and so on, and was disappointed if my school report had anything less than As in it.
At age 17 I burned out, dropped out of school and pursued a more practical route into my then chosen career. Nearly 50 years later I finally freed myself from the belief that if I was not academically qualified, or did not hold enough professional qualifications, I was not as worthy as those who did.
So well done to those athletes, at a much earlier stage of their life, who did not win a gold medal but were proud to have competed and done their very personal best, graciously congratulating the winners and celebrating the efforts of their teammates.
Well done to Andy MacDonald, at 51 the oldest skateboarder in these Olympics who was simply happy to be there and do his best; to Eddie the Eagle for his determination to compete in the 1988 Winter Olympics ski jump; to Eric the Eel, who in 2020 finished way behind the other swimmers in his 100m heat yet finished his race anyway.
And of course, congratulations to all the winners in any race or competition, for their strength, skill, endurance, courage, perseverance, and overcoming.
There is only one queen in a hive of bees or colony of ants, yet every single worker has a vital role to play in ensuring the success and continuation of the community and the species.
Every single human being has their own unique set of talents, however insignificant their role may appear. So when you come to the end of this life what really matters is that you can say, hand on heart, that you absolutely did your best, and in so doing fulfilled your life purpose.
“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I can say ‘I used everything that you gave me’” Erma Bombeck, 1927 – 1996, American humourist and writer
Beautiful and so important, Sue. Thank you for sharing. Although we’ve never met in person, I imagine you being tall and perfect for netball!
not so tall, but enthusiastic!
You have conveyed this issue so beautifully. Comparisonitis is rife and with peoples lives on show through social media, we can all feel we should be achieving more, doing more, being the best, living the perfect life and yet, as you so rightly say we are all different and need to calibrate our own measures of success.
I loved watching Andy MacDonald too, his pure joy at being at the Olympics was infectious!
I love your term ‘comparisonitis’ Louise, it is very easy to fall into, and fuelled as you say by social media, and also the world of advertising!