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Games had me crying and screaming

I have my life back now.I expect the rest of the country feels the same way.
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I have my life back now.

I expect the rest of the country feels the same way.

The Vancouver winter Olympics are over, at last — at long last if you watched the men’s gold final in hockey on Sunday.

Such anxiety should not be permissible.

It was the hockey game that wouldn’t end — stressful, hopeful, painful, nerve-wracking, depressing, scary and then, finally, like k.d. sang it — hallelujah! We won!

I was so elated I had half a beer — Molson Canadian of course. If you missed the game, don’t worry — there will be a gazillion replays of the golden Olympic moment that was the best of all, when Sid the Kid made a nation love him forever.

I cried. I cheered. I cried. I screamed. I cried. By all accounts so did the rest of the country. And that was even before Sunday’s big game. If you didn’t feel much about being Canadian before the Games, gosh almighty you surely must now.

Had the Games gone into another week, I don’t think I could have made it through. Way too much emotion.

I know not everyone is enamoured with the Olympics. There are serious concerns, such as the nearly $1 billion spent on security. But let the critics go unheard now. If you simply tuned into the performances of the world’s very best athletes, and forgot about the politics and complaints — some silly, some not — you had to have been intrigued.

Canadians felt collectively sick when the Olympics started so shakily with a death. But then we became delirious in our joy when they ended with an unforgettable hockey game, and we set the record for the most winter gold medals ever.

Some people think the Olympics is just about sports and winning. But it’s about a lot more — the pursuit of perfection, respect of others, heroism and courage. The courage may lie most in facing one’s failure and heartbreak while the whole world is watching. Far more athletes went home without medals than with.

These Olympics reached and were watched by more people around the world than ever before, thanks to the Internet. People Facebooked, Twittered, texted and talked about the Games. I watched most of the events on HD TV but also some live online. I recorded hour and hours of it, which saved me hours of sitting through commercials. Fast forward is a godsend, as are PVRs that allow you to record two things at once.

Here’s what I cried about: the death of young Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili the day the Olympics opened; our first gold of the Games and first on Canadian soil, by Alex Bilodeau; Alex’s handicapped brother Frederic rejoicing right after he saw his brother win gold; Joannie Rochette’s classy skate even though her mother had just died unexpectedly, and several other times as she appeared, including when she was chosen to carry the flag at the closing ceremonies; Heather Moyse, Helen Upperton, Kaillie Humphries and Shelley-Ann Brown winning gold and silver in two-women bobsleigh; and every other time we won gold and O Canada was sung as our flag was raised; and finally, Neil Young’s Long May You Run during the closing ceremonies — now that was a nice touch.

So the Games are done and, in my view, we are the champions. Vancouver put on a great show and through it, many of us rediscovered our Canadianism.

What a great ride it was.

Give me a day or so and I’ll be ready to go again.

Mary-Ann Barr is Advocate assistant city editor. She can be reached by email at barr@www.reddeeradvocate.com or by phone at 403-314-4332.