Blog # 156...August 2024

As I begin to write this, the opening ceremonies of the Paris Olympics are due to begin in about an hour and they will be spectacular… despite spoilers blocking three of the rail lines leading into the City. I'm certain Parisians will turn out to fill the stands and cheer the event. 

In the original spirit of the games, which included art forms as well as sport, Canadian double Olympian (hurdles and bobsledding) Phylicia George will read her spoken word poem The Gold Within.  Arts bring an added dimension to the games and it's particularly delicious to have one of our own athletes exploring "the gold within all of us" in her poem. 

Women are much on my mind lately for various reasons, specific ones like Alice, Kamala, Celine and Summer, as well as the many who suffer and sometimes die in the epidemic of intimate partner violence. It doesn't really fit my topic but needs to be brought forward, even in a piece devoted to art.

It's now later on Friday and the Olympics are officially open, with a. huge welcoming throng. Boats large and small filled the Seine. In a spirit of friendly rivalry, Canadian athletes shared a river cruiser with Cameroon, Chile, the Central African Republic and China. The artistic production moved from Victor Hugo to Lady Gaga and back again, honouring some of the women of the Revolution on the way. The best shot of all for me though was catching Emmanuel Macron's look of astonishment during Lady G's number. 

Back for now to my thoughts of women:                                               Thousands of words have been written about Alice Munro over the past weeks and it seems to me that Katherine Ashenburg sums it up "We look to art to reflect darkness and moral complexity, so we shouldn't be surprised that artists are as flawed as the rest of us”. But make no mistake, Alice’s flaw was major.

Kamala Harris is Momala to her loving step children. Wow, let's keep our finger crossed for the next few months until she's safe in the Oval office and we can lift our fists in relief at missing that particular bullet.                                                                                            

The breathtaking comeback appearance of Celine Dion on the balcony of the Eiffel Tower - what a dramatic moment in a couple of hours drenched in them...as well as with rain!  And a silver medal for Summer McIntosh for the 400 meter freestyle medley event.         

Most of all though, I think of Andrea Robin Skinner, Alice Munro's youngest daughter abused by her stepfather in the ultimate betrayal.  These women all inspire me in different ways with their talent, their perseverance and, in some cases at least, their courage.                           

I have mixed feelings about the Olympics, maybe their most useful role is distraction from the serious crises in the world, maybe a few meaningful relationships are formed, but does that make it all worth  the expense and climate destruction? My plan is to become  head of the IOC and build a permanent site in Greece where both summer and winter games will be held every 4 years with the emphasis on the sports rather than sponsors, TV rights and size of the audience…ah well, I can dream can’t I?

Doesn’t mean I don’t jump up and cheer when Summer wins gold…as a swimmer myself, although I can’t come anywhere near her speed or the distances covered by Marilyn Bell or Diana Nyad, I feel a watery kinship with them.

September will bring me back with something completely different, hope to see you then

2 comments:

  1. You have my vote for head of the IOC!! Bring it on!!

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  2. We would be well served with your leadership in whatever the role or venue

    ReplyDelete