The Thrill of Victory, the Agony of Defeat

Do you remember the old ABC “Wide World of Sports” promo that featured Jim McKay’s memorable line, “The thrill of victory…and the agony of defeat,” with the last statement punctuated by the video of the hapless ski jumper tumbling off the ramp into a heap? Can you imagine what it must have been like for that guy – and then to see it repeated dozens of times, year after year?

Images like that are what capture my attention during the Olympics, especially the Winter variety. Maybe it’s because I did not grow up in the hinterlands of America, but I can’t imagine doing what many of the competitors do – zipping down an icy slope on narrow skis at upwards of 70 miles per hour; hurtling down a bobsled course with its twists and turns at nearly 90 miles an hour; trudging up and down hills as a cross-country skier; racing around an icy track on razor-sharp skates with several rivals jostling for the same space.

We cheer for the victors, but sometimes it is the agony of defeat, along with the heart-tugging stories of adversities faced and overcome, just to be a part of the Olympic dream, that we often find most captivating.

So many people approach daily life with lethargy and indifference. That’s why I so admire the men and women who have devoted their lives, and made countless sacrifices, to excel at sports they love. Even if they don’t capture the coveted gold, they have achieved far more than most of us could ever dream.

Whether they realize it or not, they are living examples of what King Solomon wrote about when he said, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your heart” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). When was the last time you were successful in doing that?