Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Tuesday....Yesterday and Today.....

Outside our window is the Indian Ocean. We woke early to watch the sunrise twenty stories up with the windows wide open....such a view from our hotel room.

Reflecting on yesterday, planning for today......

Last night was the Opening Ceremony and it was really inspiring and well done. The entertainment was first class with African drumming and singing and dancing...a joyous event. The countries came out to the floor one at a time announced and applauded....it was striking, a gigantic room filled with people who experience their lives as miracles, from the USA to Romania, to Thailand, to India, to United Arab Emirates, to Nigeria......and to think this medical marvel has been performed successfully in all of these 55 countries.....to think this medical miracle has changed these lives to appreciate life and live it more fully. Touching to be sure, a model for world peace as well.

And, I must say that my emotions got the best of me at the pool yesterday too. Watching Anna in the water, being at the pool edge with Doug, smelling the chlorine air, all strong reminders of 25 years ago in Greenmeadow. Anna was a little girl and one of the team's best swimmers. That year, or rather, the day after Sara was born in 1988 Anna won overall in her age group and the team won league championship. What a weekend that was! Doug and I knew this glory would not last. CF crept up more and more each year until Anna could no longer compete without a lot of difficulty and discomfort. It was a time that passed. And now that time is back as if by a miracle. And not only as if but rather "by a miracle". Quite an emotional time for us. How could this be that we get to experience this once again but mind you we are now watching with greying hair and saggier bodies. In fact we were not much older than as Anna is now...so strange, so wonderful.

And then Tuesday became African Art Day! Dear Ruth Ann picked us up and took us to The BAT Center. It is an art space where artists and crafts people work and some live. Their studios are open and their products available to be purchased.










We spent about three hours here looking at prints, talking to artists, eating African food, meeting a poet, deciding on purchases and drumming.....




As it turns out this drummer was at the opening ceremony last night. Doug showed him a video he took of the drumming.... we had a drumming lesson, we have a lot to learn and practice...Doug loves to drum too so we are considering a drum to take home.

An now, after a team meeting the USA swim team is ready for tomorrow... and the man here in the glasses is attending the Games with a new heart and the mother and sister of his deceased donor. What a perfect donor family he has. They are here with the son she lost in spirit. He loved sports so this venue is the perfect way for her to feel him and the miracle that he became for his recipient.

Swimmers, take your mark, BANG! and they are off.............

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