Opening Ceremonies - Moving Toward The Light

I have been struggling with how to explain my extremely intense and emotional reaction to Opening Ceremonies. What you see on your TV screen does not do it justice. I suppose that's why it has been difficult for me to wrap my mind around it, and what has made it nearly impossible to describe when people ask me about the experience.


As one who works with words, to have them abandon me is frustrating.


This morning, a poem by John Gillespie Magee, Jr. came to mind. And while it may seem overly dramatic, I hope it gives you some idea of what surprisingly touched me to my core as I moved toward the light of the an arena filled with more than 60,000 people. It most aptly describes the first five seconds of my personal Olympic experience - five seconds that I hope to hold forever.

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things

You have not dreamed of—wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,

I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air....

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue

I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace 

Where never lark nor even eagle flew—

And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.