Love, the Olympics and
is somebody camping in your head?
This is a follow-up to my “Confessions” post last week.
Love: Valentine’s Day(as manufactured by the greeting card industry) isn’t a big deal. But, if you’d prefer to be partnered, it does highlight the fact that you aren’t. So, as described in last week’s post, I planned to go to, ”A Special Valentine’s Day Aphrodisiac and Wine Affair” put on by The Works in Toronto. Why not give it a try? Meeting new people is always a good thing. But, it was canceled. Ah well.
Unfortunately, this means that this follow-up post is not as promised. I feel obliged to deliver an update but, it just can’t be what was planned. So, I’ll meander. Here you go…
The Olympics
While cupid’s arrow didn’t hit last night, I had a wonderful time watching the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics with a friend. The Olympics is a unique form of armchair travel. It presents much of the world in one place and, while nationalism is certainly evident, it shows itself in its most positive light. Borders are gone. Politics are, more or less, subjugated to sport. There are surprises like the teams from Bermuda (loved those shorts) and Jamaica that compete against the odds, and teams from Iran and Israel that compete despite tensions.
The ceremonies from Vancouver were beautiful. I particularly liked the Prairie sequence and it’s ode to two Mitchells: W.O. and Joni. While I dislike the price tag and how those funds could be used for direct support of important causes, they do contribute to important causes less directly. Please allow me to meander further.
I recently watched the film Invictus, and, while you are unlikely to ever hear me recommend a film by Clint Eastwood again (not a fave of mine) this one is worth watching. It looks at the contribution of sport to the mending of conflict within South Africa. Juxtaposing the Olympics with this film makes me wonder what our world would be like if we didn’t come together every few years to compete without battle. It helps me live a little (just a little) more comfortably with the $30+ million spent on the ceremonies.
Is someone camping in your head?
Back to the subject of romantic love and something that I would have given as part of my follow-up post.
On a recent cruise through TED Talks (you may have noticed that I love them), I came across this one on Love. I have been in love. I had a long, challenging, wonderful relationship for almost two decades. And what this TED Talk tells me is that there are good, physiological reasons that I want it again. Here is what science knows about why most of us want love. TED Talks are rarely more than 20 minutes long. This one is worth a watch.
P.S. You’ll get the “camping in your head” reference if you watch it.
P.P.S. I’ll stick to travel posts from now on.
