Hello and happy Wednesday!
A bonus post this week with the 2024 Paris Olympics kicking off this Friday, and the Paralympics starting on August 28th. (And that’s before I heard that Snoop Dogg was asked to be a torchbearer!?)
I left the UK 12 years ago in July to take up my first international teaching position in Spain. It was also the summer of the London Olympics and Paralympics.
Rather than getting myself settled into a new country during those first few weeks, instead I was glued to the television in my then unfurnished apartment mostly cheering, occasionally screaming, and at times on the verge of tears.
My parents were lucky enough to secure tickets for tennis at the Olympics and over the course of one day, I received several blurry phone images from some of the top matches, including those with Andy Murray, Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic, and Roger Federer. Apparently, the atmosphere was electric.
It is one of those sporting events that I would love to experience myself at some point, but for now I am content with watching what I can on the TV or listening on the radio. However, I am keen to watch some of the newer sports taking place, including: breaking (brand new as of this year), sport climbing, and skateboarding.
2012 feels a lifetime ago.
It is a lifetime ago.
And when I think of the 2012 Sarah, I think that she would be surprised to see where I am now, and who I am in 2024.
But if I had that time machine to take me back even just for a few moments, I would remind 2012 Sarah to keep her eyes open and not let herself commit to people who didn’t have her best interests at heart. As one thing I do now know in 2024 is that a lot of possibility can come with change.
Thanks for reading!
Sarah
I am taking a summer holiday from this newsletter. If you are new to TBOI, then please check out my Substack Mixtape - a collection of posts from the archive:
Normal programming for The Best of Intentions will return August 7th - hopefully, see you then 😀
I just watched that whole breaking video!😂 I know just what you mean, how events/smells/songs etc can transport us right back to another time in our lives and different versions of our selves. Hope you're enjoying the summer, Sarah.
Thanks for your post; I enjoyed it! The Olympic Games always bring me back to a certain period of time. London 2012 was one that I always regretted since I had to leave London just to witness the whole preparation for it.