heart of an olympian

What does it feel like to be amidst thousands who know exactly what you've lost?

I haven't really been following the Winter Olympics in Vancouver--for one, I don't have cable; for another, my country probably won't give full coverage, considering we don't even HAVE winter or snow. So the name Joannie Rochette didn't ring a bell at all--at least not until I'd read that Yahoo headline that said her mother had suddenly passed away.

There have already been many articles that talk about this Canadian figure skater's strength and tenacity in choosing to proceed with the competition, despite her loss. She had to skate about 48 hours after finding out, which was last Tuesday, and then again on Thursday evening. Even the most exacting of critics said she skated clean and her scores were her personal best; and in the end, she got to take the bronze medal home.

But the moment in my head now is this: the instant she finished her short program last Tuesday, when amidst the roar of thousands who cheered, her face crumpled and she embraced having a tearful moment on the ice. She'd just skated her program for the first time without her mother. Over the resounding support, one could hear the commentator say, "There is no bigger stage than the Olympic games. But this skate, this moment, is much more than the competition."

Later on, as she waited for her scores, there was a moment where she acknowledged all the support, thanking everyone who were with her, who are still with her--Canadians and not alike. All that in mind comes an expansion of my question above: what does it feel like to be amidst thousands who know exactly what you've lost, and are there for you every step of the way, full of encouragement and sympathy and hope?

That is the mind-blowing, heartwarming thought for me: I don't think there was anyone in the stadium--or even the world--who didn't want her to skate and finish her program. And her triumph became a testament to the world's love and support for her. I think it was also a beautiful example of collective conciousness :)

All of which showed exactly how strong Joannie Rochette's heart is--going beyond her grief and pain and skating straight for her goal: representing her country and winning an Olympic medal. That for me is exactly what the heart of an Olympian is.

Photo from getty images/yahoo.com