04/08/2021
I wrote this poem exactly 5 years ago today. It was the day before the Rio de Janeiro Olympics opening. I thought it poignant to post it again today.
Christ The Redeemer looks down from on high
From atop Corcovado 2000 ft in the sky
Offering love and forgiveness to all who repent
Arms open wide giving grace blessed event
Down below in the city the Olympic Games beckon
Thousands of athletes from the world have checked in
Searching for gold in their specialized event
Silver and bronze only bring discontent
Perfection for all is to stand on the top
Of the podium, any less will bring only teardrops
Years and years of their lives have been patiently spent
Working hard for that glory many hours of torment
Pushing every muscle, every arm, every leg
Practise makes perfect in my prayers I beg
Dearest Lord help my efforts to become the best
The time has now come to put that to the test
Millions and billions every 4 years are spent
To provide the venues for every event
To house all the athletes, horses and all
While in the favela no one hears their call
Drug lords and criminals ruling the roost
Children with guns, women forced to seduce
No help in sight for the poorest of all
And the rich watch close by protected by walls
It's a media frenzy broadcast far and wide
Hundreds of networks and channels provide
Two weeks of prime time advertised everywhere
As the athletes compete on a wing and a prayer
Turn on your TV's, recorders get ready
Focus your mind, breathe in, be steady
Trumpets sound out and flags get unfurled
As the opening ceremony welcomes the world.
Billions watch daily this spectacle of sport
National fever that billions support
Spending their hard-earned money to see
If their heroes can be the best they can be
The wealthy will travel by air, land or sea,
Let's go to Rio and join the party
We'll do the salsa and dance all night long
And shout and scream in the sporting throng
Then like everything else, it's over and done,
Winning or losing in this sport marathon
And if you avoided the zika virus plague
There's Tokyo 2020 and Fukushima's waste.
Perhaps it's time to get a train to the top
Visit Christ the redeemer and confess our lot
Ask for forgiveness and blessings again
Before the referee in our life counts up to ten!
This desire to achieve the best that one can be is not an unusual thing. It is inherent in us all. We seek perfection in all aspects of life, be it sport, business, partners, science, whatever it may be, we would all love to find the 'perfect' result. Many may achieve this, however, as in sport, many more will fail in the attempt.
According to the 'Bhagavad Gita', India's ancient scripture, the ultimate of all perfections is to achieve perfection in the Absolute Truth. That is what we all seek, but for most of us, we look for that perfection in the wrong places. Complete perfection is not so easily achieved in life.
As Krishna says to Arjuna, Bhagavad Gita 7.3 "Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavour for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth."
Tomorrow and for the next 2 weeks, in sport, many will strive for that flickering perfection of the Gold medal. A moment in time, a blissful exciting realization that I can be the best that I can be........ Bang!
