I don’t know about you, but Steve and I are taking in as much of the Beijing Winter Olympics as we can. The other night we watched as the contest for medals swung into full gear in women’s snowboard. It was inspiring and not just because of the prowess of the athletes.
American snowboarder Julia Marino had a great final run in the women’s snowboard slopestyle on February 6, 2022. It looked like victory and a gold medal for her. But the last contender, New Zealand’s Zio Sadowski-Synnott from New Zealand, beat out Marino by just a few points to gain the gold.
The moment Sadowski-Synnott finished her amazing run, Marino broke into a run toward her, jumping on top of her and hugging and celebrating with her. A few minutes later, as the score was announced, Marino congratulated her warmly. To see such community and kindness on display in that a highly competitive circumstance touched our hearts.
How often do we get so focused on our daily errand running or job duties that we are unaware of the people right around us? Do I look for opportunities to give an ‘atta-girl’ or a sympathetic, listening ear as I encounter others throughout my day? We could all use a bit more “Marino Magic” in our self-focused world.
Be kind and compassionate to one another… Ephesians 4:32
A Goldilocks Life 