theyslayedthedragon:

“Let’s be honest. It didn’t start out very well. A tragic death on Day 1. An embarrassing malfunction at the worst possible moment of the Olympic opening ceremonies. The snow melting away on Cypress Mountain. The cauldron crudely fenced off from those who wanted to bask in its glow. It seemed like Canada’s Olympics might not recover from that stumbling start. And that was before we realized it wasn’t going to be quite so easy to own the podium. Before the crushing pressure to perform at home shattered the confidence of some of Canada’s best medal hopes. But even as those inside the Olympic bubble were fretting and wringing their hands. On the outside, on the streets (and not just here in Vancouver and Whistler, but right across Canada) something remarkable was taking place. It was as though an entire country was given permission to feel something it needed to feel. And it was the country that set the tone for these games and NOT the other way around. A sense that began with the torch relay and kept right on building. Even after Alexandre Bilodeau’s victory (the historic first gold medal) and those unforgettable images of him with his brother, it wasn’t quite the script we were expecting. The story was supposed to be all about winning. About finishing first. About putting a new swagger in our step. It turns out, the swagger was already there. It was just waiting for the right stage. And by the time Jon Montgomery made his famous stroll through the streets of Whistler, all of Canada was walking beside him, reaching for that pitcher of beer. The number of medals didn’t really matter. Though, in the end, the numbers going to be just fine. We didn’t really need to own anything. What mattered was the occasion. What mattered was the event. What mattered was the excuse to wave the flag and sing the anthem and shout it out loud. Cynicism is easy. So is retreating into historic grudges. So is looking at a world in which what were once borders are now dotted lines at best. And believing it doesn’t really matter what you call yourself or where you live. It DOES matter, or at least it can. It IS important to have a share of history. There IS power in the collective experience. And, admit it: it feels good. It feels good to let your heart show.”

- Stephen Brunt