Life Lessons at The 2024 Olympics
It’s on! Every four years the world comes together to see incredible sports competition. This year the 2024 summer
Olympics are in Paris, France.
When top athletes compete, history is on the line. There’s also a chance to discover a thing or two about sportsmanship and other life lessons.
Learning to be a good sport is having an impact even as far away as the small Southern town of Shady Pines.
Our neighbors are buzzing with excitement.
Over at the Sanders’ home on Dogwood Drive across from Copy Cat Lane, Edna Sanders is all a-twitter.
She’s watching the USA Men’s Gymnastics competition on TV in the family’s kitchen.
“Harold,” she yells. “You have to see this!”
Edna’s husband is in the den searching for his glasses. He can’t remember where he put them. “Oh here they are.”
“Harold?”
“I’ll be right there!”
Harold rushes to see what he’s missing. The couple’s 4-legged kids are right on his heels.
Boomerang an Australian Shepherd dog, and Halley’s Comet a silver streak of a cat, can’t figure out what’s 
causing all the rukus.
“What’s going on?” asks Boomer. 
“Mom sounds like it’s important.”
“I have no idea,” says Halley, as she races right by him.
“Hey! Watch where you’re going.”
Edna looks away from the TV when she hears the mad dash of feet and paws coming straight for her.
“Boomer, Halley, slow down. Track and field events are next week.”
Leaps and Bounds
“Look at the American gymnast, Harold! His name is Frederick Richard.”
Harold watches Frederick twirl, flip and spin on the parallel bars. “He must be really strong.”
“That’s no big deal, “says Halley. “I can do flips like that.”
“You cannot,” says Boomer.”
“Can too,” says Halley. “Remember the time I flipped right up on the table? That was a winning, gold medal, move.”
“Oh really?” growls Boomer. “All I remember is that we got into trouble.”
Harold and Edna cheer as other members of the USA team perform.
They clap and yell along with the crowd in Paris watching in person.
“That’s Brody Malone finishing his routine on the high bar,” says Harold. “Just incredible.”
Edna nods her head. “The team could get a medal. They haven’t won a medal in 16 years!” says Edna. “This is really exciting.”
“Oh my gosh. Asher Hong is flying on those rings,” says Harold. “I can’t take this.”
He is so nervous for the team Harold paces back and forth. Boomer tries to keep up wih him. Halley just watches from her window seat.
Really Good Sports
“Why is dad walking around?” asks Boomer. “He’s not going anywhere.”
“Don’t ask me,” says Halley as she yawns. “Humans make me tired.”
Edna points at the TV. “I like the way each member of the team supports one another. They’re really good sports.”
“Are we good sports?” asks Boomer.
“I’m not sure,” answers Halley.
“Oh my gosh,” says Harold. The last routine. It comes down to Stephen Nedoroscik on the pommel horse.”
Working Together – Showing Sportsmanship
Now Edna is standing up. Harold holds her hand.
Together they yell, “Great routine!”
Edna is teary. “Each man gave it their all.”
“They really did. And they cheered for one another’s success. That’s sportsmanship,” says Harold.
Edna jumps up and down. “Look! They did it! They won the bronze medal.”
Harold is spent. “I have to sit down.”
“I’ll get us something cool to drink,” says Edna.
Halley looks over at Boomer. “I don’t get it. 
Isn’t the bronze medal third place?”
Boomer cocks his head. “Yeah. Those guys didn’t win gold. Why are mom and dad so happy?”
Boomer plops down by Harold who starts petting the dog’s head.
Edna takes a seat at the kitchen table next to Harold. She hands him a large glass of lemonade. Halley pops up on her lap.
Harold looks from Boomer to Halley.
“Listen up you two. You could learn a lot from those talented gymnasts about sportsmanship.”
“Absolutely,” says Edna. “Working together as a team is a good thing,” says Edna. “Showing one another respect and encouragement is always a win – no matter the color of the medal.”
We need more messaging like this. And making people think about the way they watch the Olympics is fantastic
What a wonderful post! I just got around to reading it. Such an important message about the color of the medal is not what’s important.
Great idea to use current events like the Olympics to show sportsmanship and team members supporting one another. Loved it!!
Thank you so much Linda!
Terrific take on the Olympics. The sportsmanship angle on the most intensely competitive get together there is.
Good job !!!
Thank you so much Frank. Glad you enjoyed it!
This is an excellent example of showing value in each of the team members contributions in order to achieve the goal of winning a medal. Timely message! Love it!
Thank you so much Tammy!
The color of the medal doesn’t matter but teamwork, sportsmanship, kindness and caring do.
Love how you use current events to relate to the importance of team work, good sportsmanship and kindness!
Love your message. Thank you Janis!
Wonderful life lessons here. Shady Pines stays relevant and current and the messaging is universal
Kindness and caring words that Shady Pines shows us can build strong people and communities. Working together — young nd old, any nationality, will build a place we all want to be a part of. Kindness & Caring has supported the Olympics, and Kindness & Caring has supported and strengthened your wonderful town of Shady Pines
Love the positive message using real time events.
Thank you Diana. Appreciate it!
A wonderful message of what sportsmanship is. All participants in any competition can’t always win first place, but they can still be winners with their support of one another to do their very best. Thank you Shady Pines Story Town for this reminder.
Thank you Cathie for your comment and your message!
Using the Olympics to explain life lessons is a cool idea
I really like this. We need more positive messaging. Keep it up
Current events are so fresh it’s great tying “teamwork” into today’s events. Also good lesson but valid 3rd place is GOOD
The Olympics reaches into Shady Pines with a very important lesson . Or lessons. We need more of this
Happy to root for Boomer when the Pup Olympics is created! Until then, happy to watch teammates support each other as well as see the respect olympians have for each regardless of where they are from. Keep flipping, Halley!
The Pup Olympics would be fun Sandi! Thank you for your comment
Oh my gosh. This is wonderful. What a good way to explain the importance of teamwork adn sportsmanship using a real life event
I really enjoyed this. Having a Shady Pines family watching the real life Olympics and commenting is so clever
Shady Pines always reminds of how we can improve our attitude. Thank you.
Thank you Elaine. Very much appreciate the comment!
Giving your all as a teammate and supporting the others on the team is what it’s all about! There’s no I in team.
No “I” in team is so right. Thank you Jane!
Love that your are able to share your Kindness and Caring principles into what is happening today. A great reflection on the importance of teamwork in achieving goals and the fact that it might not be the highest attainable goal does not lessen the accomplishment.
What a wonderful comment Joanne. Thank you!
I’m happy to see Boomer and Halley featured prominently in this lesson. I laughed so hard when Halley was unimpressed by an Olympian feat because she can do flips too!
Let’s face it. Halley is hard to impress Sheri. Glad it made you smile!
Thanks for another great life lesson from the Sanders! Awesome. All children could learn from this.
Thank you Barbara. That really means a lot!
Is this part of your Kindness and Caring Campaign? I love it!
What a good idea to link life lessons from the Olympics right to Shady Pines Story Town. Very current