The Best Olympic Moment: Appreciation

     Like any sane American, I am obsessed with the 2012 Olympics. I keep tabs on my favorite athletes online, watch the NBC nightly re-caps, and cheer along with the fans louder than most people actually in the stadium. And while I love watching Missy Franklin get a gold or Gabby Douglas finish a breath-taking bar routine, the part of the games that gets me every time is when these athletes give their shining moment to someone else.
     When you see a gold-medalist run for the stadium to find their mom or when teammates fall into each other's arms rather than raise their arms in individual victory, those are the moments worth celebrating. And yes, the moments where I cry like a baby. But in that moment, these athletes aren't saying, "I did it," or "I beat you." They are saying, "Thank you," or "I did this because of you." Those are the moments worth celebrating. Here are just a few of my favorite Olympic moments. And yes, each and every one of them is a hug.

     The Olympics aren't all about the athletes. They are about a team; a team of mothers, fathers, friends, and countries that are behind the few out there to compete. That's something worth celebrating.