Every four years the whole world comes together to watch the same thing on television: the Olympics. This year the Summer Olympics are taking place in Brazil and they won't occur again until the year 2020, so if you're not watching them, you should.
Not too many things come around on television that are positive and have the world's attention. The Olympics can be seen as a unifier for the world and I think everyone should tune in for some part, whether it's a sport you've never seen, a sport you love, or even the closing ceremony, it's something special that you can only see every couple years.
The Olympics can create such patriotic feelings within people. There is nothing better than the entire United States coming together and uniting in support of their fellow Americans who are representing us for the rest of the world. I feel so proud to be an American when I watch other Americans winning gold medals and I know that I come from a country of greatness.
Watching the Olympic games also struck an idea with me. I see all these athletes from nations all over the world, being competitive and competing for the same thing, yet still getting along and being respectful of one another. How amazing would it be if the Olympics could create world peace? If a nation wanted bragging rights, they could claim that their country was better than another country at basketball, but another country was a lot better at volleyball then their nation is.
As a former athlete, watching these athletes compete at the most honored level, I feel great respect for athletes of all nations who made it there. It's admirable to think of all the work they have put in over the years to finally reach their goals and to be where they are now. I also love watching the Olympics when they give a background story on an athlete and you learn all about the incredible journey and any hardships or struggles that they faced on their athletic journey to becoming an Olympic athlete. Even if you're not an athlete, it's still incredible to learn about the peoples stories and how they got to the highest level.
In addition to gaining respect for so many athletes, through the Olympics, I'm gaining respect for some sports I had barely even heard of before. Just because a sport looks easy doesn't mean it is and both the sport and the athletes deserve respect. By watching the Olympics, you are giving some sort of respect to both.
The next time the Summer Olympics happen, I will be out of college for a full year. The Olympics are a reminder to cherish the time that we have, as it can fly by quicker than we realize. Everyone should watch the Olympics while they're on, show some support for their nation, and appreciate the incredible games that we are lucky to witness this year.
