12 August 2012 ~ OLYMPICS AND ALL THAT

12 August 2012 ~ OLYMPICS AND ALL THAT

In my last blog I briefly talked about my roots.  I am lucky enough to say that I am a proud expat of Britain.  Now, after over twenty years in my new life in Canada, I am also lucky enough to call myself a proud Canadian.

When I took out my Canadian citizenship back in 1991, there were latent thoughts of being Judas; that I was turning my back on my roots.  I was still young at 33 and my head was not as smart as I hope it is today.  At the ceremony we sung God Save the Queen and at the end we sung Oh Canada.  I knew the words to both National Anthems.  Still do.  To be a citizen was important to me.  It allowed me to have a vote and a voice.  For those of us that live in a free society, it is an invaluable asset.  I rarely vocalise politics and I’m not starting now.  This blog is not about that.

When parents start a family and have three children, they do not divide their love between the three.  Parents multiply their love for their children by three.  I am proud to say that I love my home of Canada as equally as I love my roots of the fair and green isle of Great Britain.  My love is also multiplied; not divided. Two great countries that are still my two great homes.

And so, as a writer of sorts, I feel the need to stay up late tonight.  The urge to pour my thoughts and animated wit on to my laptop screen is too much.  I was caught up in the moment of time called the Closing Ceremony!

There is nothing like the Olympics to rekindle the fire of patriotism; in particular for the host nation.  Here in Canada we are essentially a winter sport country.  We have our hero athletes, too.  Sidney Crosby, from the province of Nova Scotia is a national hero in the sport of ice hockey.  Two years ago, when Vancouver hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics; just as the marathon is the final event in the summer games, the ice hockey gold medal is the last one at the winter games.  Sid was the lad that scored the golden goal in the extra period of the Gold Medal Final against the arch nemesis of the United States of America.  They employ the golden goal in this sport (next goal’s the winner) and he came through to be an icon.  If nobody scores in that extra period of twenty minutes, they play another period.  Then another and then another.  The winning team has to score the winning goal.  No lottery of penalties in this sport.  Strongest, last standing team wins.  Citius, Altius, Fortius.

With London 2012 it pleased me no end that the Canadian TV coverage showed more than just Canadian athletes.  We were fortunate that the broadcasting company focused on other great achievements too.  That meant that I was able to see my ‘other’ team and root for them as well.  And I did.  I was proud of Team Canada’s achievements in London 2012.  But I was proud of Team GB also.

I was a sportsman in my youth.  I did a lot of long distance running; not to compete, just to build stamina and endurance.  I played football, if I speak as a Brit and I played soccer, if I speak as a Canuck.  I also dabbled in water polo, squash, rock climbing, boxing (not for long, though) and a number of other different sports.  But football was my game.

I don’t want to talk about the athletes here.  They are, without doubt, our heroes and icons.  I want to talk about the Closing Ceremony.  The show that was put on for the Closing Ceremony was, for this writer at least, nothing short of amazing.  My other true love is the art of music and words.  I enjoy playing my guitar and I have now embarked on learning the harmonica.  I have jammed with many friends over the decades.  I recently even had a chance to jam with my daughter, Zoe’s, boyfriend.  In fact Tyson keeps his drums at our place now.

So for me, the closing ceremony was an absolute thrill.  I insisted, to the family, that we make a night of it.  We did.  Plates of munchies of all kinds and the big screen hi-def. TV was played through my stereo at a ‘decent’ volume.  What a show.  It had it all.  I admit I didn’t know all of the great talent that Britain supplies to the world.  But I knew most.  I had tears when John Lennon, with Imagine, was played.  Showing a great man of peace in his prime before some idiot cut him down.  To watch the late, great Freddie Mercury interact with the crowd also moved me to tears.  Then there was Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here; so poignant. 

My teenage girls were ecstatic with the Spice Girls, and so was I.  Brian May from Queen, The Who, Ray Davies from the Kinks with Waterloo Sunset.  Brilliant!  Brilliant!! Brilliant!!!  The world was shown that the great is well and truly still in Great Britain.  I am so proud.  It is my belief that this sort of resilient display is what got this great nation through The War. 

Everyone has a mentor; mine has been Sir Winston Churchill ever since I was a lad.  Perhaps it is because of that part of my other love, writing.  This great man wrote his own speeches (often in his bathtub) and it was his words that rallied a nation when, at times, all he had to offer was words.  It has been said that words are cheap, but when they come from an icon like Winston they are not cheap; they’re priceless.

So for me it was one of the best concerts I can recall and the whole world had the chance to join in.  Music.  Joy.  Passion.  Pride.  Love and Peace.  John would have been proud; imagine!  It reminded me of Live Aid 1984.  When, as one world, we focused on one thing; the brotherhood of man.  For me, with all that music, it took me back to that time.  The time when the whole world was together as one.  Such synergy!

Remember that button on my laptop that I talked about in my last blog? (INTERNET + GOOGLE EARTH = MEMORY LANE).  I sure wish I could have pressed it tonight and beamed down to London town and been a part of this historic moment in time.  I couldn’t, of course.  But I recorded it!  I will be able to relive Great Britain’s other ‘Finest Hour’ anytime I want; the Closing Ceremony of an Olympics that was served to the world by Great Britain in gargantuous proportions of talent.

Well done Canada for 2010.  You put on a great show and shared with the world the musical talents of the likes of Randy Bachman (BTO) and Neil Young (a great singer/songwriter) and many others.  But tonight my emotions run high as a Brit.  To get so much talent, athletic and artistic, together for one moment in time, for the world to watch, was an absolute marvel.

What Great Britain told the whole world tonight, in this writer’s humble opinion, is simply this; each of us needs the abilities of all of us.  And if you take one small part away from this equation of life, as we know it, then the whole becomes incomplete.  London 2012 took the whole world, and made that world compete and complete.  As a Brit, as a Canadian and as a member of the most important race in history; the human race, you have my undying and heartfelt thanks. 

JOB WELL DONE!