I didn’t realize how much I loved the Olympics until four years ago. Curled up on the floor of a hostel, I watched the Opening Ceremony while surrounded by strangers from around the world. We were huddled in a darkened room in a corner of Dublin, Ireland, and people cheered for different countries as teams spilled across the TV. That’s when I got an irresistible taste of what the Olympics represents. This year, back in America and curled up in front of the TV again, I still felt chills race across my arms as I watched the opening footage. Even amidst tracks of brokenness, pain, and contention, the Olympics offers a more optimistic glimpse of the world.

I’ve been impatient for them. I remember how disappointed I was when I heard that the Olympics wouldn’t begin until August. I remember it because I thought it was practically false advertising to call them the Summer Olympics if I had to wait almost the whole season for them. After a summer of tragedy and animosity, we are long overdue for an interruption from the heaviness that seeps into our world.

During these weeks, conflict will still persist, and pain will still push its agenda. Rio itself has left its own trail of conflict, spotlighted in the news as it prepared for the Olympics. With the Opening Ceremony, Brazil’s breathtaking display of its history did not erase the veins of pain that run deep in its story. Yet as I watched, I also saw a deep pride as Brazilians shared their culture, their heritage, and their history. I saw a universal tradition that continues to prevail despite the world’s events. I saw that it is impossible to ignore hope no matter how hard it is to see it. As someone who believes that hope comes from God, I saw Psalms 46:10 coming true: “All nations on earth will honor me.”

Maybe as you read this, you roll your eyes. It could seem like I'm missing the whole point by not focusing only on the athletics. Or, maybe you're on the other side and the Olympics is just a sporting event that means little more than all of the other athletic events sprinkled throughout the year. I get it because I’m usually one to ignore what sports have to offer.

I can’t ignore the Olympics because it is more than an athletic event. It is a reminder to hope for better.

Even as we all prepare to cheer for our own countries, let’s not forget that this is also one of the only times our world still pursues unity. As we paste flags of our countries across our profile pictures, let’s not forget to also cheer for the victories that do not fall beneath our own flags. Even if another country takes home a medal, let’s cheer. Because the Olympics is not just about one country’s victory. For these weeks of the Olympics, each victory is a human victory as we witness cultures, people, and history unite.