The Olympic games are finally here. We have been working since January towards the goal of competing at the olympics games this summer. and here they are. All day today at Harvard University, and until noon tomorrow. It is an amazing organization that requires an incredible amount of planning, coodination, volunteers and dedication. It was a long day, but extremely satisfying. I work with a particular group of boys, aged 8-15, who came in first in the entire state in the 4X50 freestyle relay. The gold medal winners were very proud. We work very hard during the year, and it is great to see their hard work pay off. I am very proud of them. Tomorrow they will be in a few individual events, and I look forward to reporting on their results.
However, these games are not all about gold medals. Today I had the priveledge to work with and help some swimmers who can barely communicate, and a 25 yard freestyle/dog paddle/sidestroke combo is a significant accomplishment. It feels strange to have the parents thank me for my effort, when I can't help but think about what they are thinking when they see their kids swim. One parent told me that the greatest result of their participation in the Special Olympics, is that for this small window of time, their kids feel like normal kids, doing what normal kids do. As a parent of 3 "normal" kids, all too often I forget how lucky I am.
More to come tomorrow
Paul
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