I'm quite sure many of you out there must be following the happenings of the Olympics this year. And there are somethings I am surprised about, some which happen so often every 4 years that the thrill of seeing something done all over again seems numbed by that fact for that matter. The Olympics is easily the biggest stage of sporting events all over the world, and the best of the best will definitely relish the chance to come and compete with no one but the best. Assuredly, Im not out to pinpoint countries that dont bother sending their best, I am sure that they have their reasons for not turning up.
I must say that although I've not watched any Olympics event, or even the opening because Im kinda busy and my schedule dosent really allow time for me to sit there and amaze myself with various sports, that sometimes countries may be out to prove their own perception of a political statement. I am impressed that at the biggest platform of sporting history, the effort China has put in is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Building the Phoenix's nest, putting the Water Cube, all that is nothing short of world class. No doubt the 1 billion manpower has been put into good use, some even injuring themselves while building the massive structures.
China has risen. Literally. And they have the facts to prove it.
To date, since I last checked, China has racked up a total of 22 golds and counting. And the US falling behind with a mere 14. Honestly, it could easily be the most outrageous effort any country could have to upstage the dominance of the US. And what a way to stomp their foot down too. Practically the whole nation is with China, and Chinese atheletes must surely be proud and feel the adrenaline rush when they secure the gold for each of their events. Even with the mighty Phelps and Lochte chalking up almost half the US's gold medal tally, the stars and stripes dont really seem to be behind them. much less the passion.
Aside from politics,
I'm sure every athelete, every cheerleader, every coach, every one involved with the Olympics must have put in a tremendous effort to be a part of such a major event. Atheletes have trained long and hard. even for those coaches that plan the training regimes, for those that ran and passed the torch, for those medics who were there for their respective atheletes, ALL of them were pushed, stretched and pressured. What am I gonna share is about the breaking point..
What actually is breaking point all about?
In engineering terms, we call it the CRITICAL point. It is absolutely true. Im not referring to being verbally critical, but in terms of the condition. Lemme illustrate via the boiling of water. Water does not become steam just by magic. Water is water only at room temperature and at 1 atm pressure. Under circumstances, where the temperature changes, and at different pressure, you either have superheated steam, ice or dry ice, both extremes. To get steam from water, you'll basically have to heat it up, the most logical thing to do! Then, you'll see bubbles forming at the bottom of the pot, and suddenly there are more rising to the surface, forming a thin film. Soon after prolonged heating, there is rapid production of bubbles and now some BREAK THROUGH the surface and become steam. The converse happens for ice/dry ice.
Its a known fact that water boils at 100 deg C and is ice at 0 deg C. These are the critical points. Most of the time in church, as i mentioned in my previous post, we associate heat with passion. Where we are, is the room temperature. And of course, we catch fire and over time, our temperature increases. Then there will be a time where we say HOLD IT! I cant take it anymore. Too much heat. Too much commitment. Too much time taken up. But wait a minute. its only 50 degrees C. How can that be your 100% (the number familiar?)? How high is your heat capacity?
Can you increase it? yes you can! Maintain at that temperature (keep doing the things at that level), of course not for too long, until you are comfortable with things. But soon, you have to pass that breaking point simply because God loves us too much to leave us the same. Thats how people grow and mature! However, the converse is true. IF you allow yourself to be placed in a cold environment. you lose your passion and eventually hit the ice point.
Critical points are important in our lives, and it is important for us to recognise what are our limits are, be it physical, emotional, psychological, mental, etc. I am sure that God has not built us in a way that our capacity is so small. If God made Adam in such a way that Adam had dominion over the earth, likewise for us, we are meant for world domination. Which brings me back to the topic on the Olympics. Atheletes train hard in their expertise, they go through tough trainings, and some even go waaaaay past their critical points BUT STILL the gold still eludes them. Coaches too, lose hair over their athelete's performance, training and health. And some break through barriers just for the sake of their athelete. Even Chinese men and women go through the trouble of learning English because they want to serve the nation and be an effective communicator to the foreigners in their land.
Suddenly, we see that world domination dosent really matter anymore. Coaches and atheletes have done their best. If they make mistakes at the biggest stage, they make them. Simply because everyone, or rather I believe most, have trained beyond the critical point. (Personally I myself have realised that through BMT. yes, fat, helpless, strengthless, and yet made to do physical training.) Well done.
China as well, have emerged, like the movie makers have aptly made a movie " The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor " My Chinese Mummy has risen from years of dominance of the US. Jiayou China! I kinda like Taiwan more though.. teehhee
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