REFLECTIONS
REFLECTIONS : O JOY ! AUTHOR Teresita Bacani-Oropilla , MD
To wake up in the morning and see an ecstatic face splashed on the sports page of the local paper , announcing that she had won an Olympic gold medal for the US is a cause for joy ! And smiles !
On opening night , athletes from around the world paraded in the 2021 ( 2020 ) postponed Olympic games in Tokyo , Japan . Healthy , laughing , cheering , selfie-obsessed athletes marched and danced , proudly displaying their flags . They represented a world briefly in harmony , wanting to show off the best in fair competition . Can you call that joy ?
Japan , with misgivings about the health and safety of their citizens and intended guests , came through and said “ Yes !” The countries that said they would participate likewise contemplated the risks and with bated breath said “ YES !” and so it came to be .
The competitors , meanwhile , who had the will and courage to continue their preparations despite the uncertain prospects of using their talents , were ready . The time had finally come !
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Each and every one in that joyful display of concurrence and unity had gone thru grueling days and long , hard years of preparation for this event . Other dreams for the future had been placed on hold . Families , either endowed or struggling for means to support their athletes , were relieved .
Now all that was over .
Japan ’ s excellent presentation of its history , and the precise beauty and flow of actions and backgrounds did not disappoint . Likewise , the generosity of the hosts and reciprocal gratefulness of the guests showed the best of human nature . Naomi Osaka , the tennis star who extinguished the Olympic flame , is a fitting symbol of the future . Another cause for joy ?! Yes !
It is gratifying to note that the successes or losses of our athletes have bonded us together . Americans far and wide rejoiced in their victories and shared in their disappointments . Families and friends have called each other and re-bonded over a joyful universal event .
Kentuckians have our own grand part in these celebrations . Lee Kiefer , a fencing star and a third-year medical student at the University of Kentucky , won the first-ever gold medal in Foil for the US .
Modesty aside , the medalist ’ s middle name is similar to mine , Lee Oropilla Kiefer . That is cause for parades ! Confetti ! Blowing of all possible horns !! She ’ s my granddaughter !
If I ever stop smiling , you all remind me to start right back up . Dr . Bacani-Oropilla is a retired pediatrician and child psychiatrist .