I always keep an eye on my numbers, how many people have checked out the web site or Facebook page. Most of the time it sits steadily at around 30 people. Last week the title was ‘The Perfect Day’ and I was amazed that immediately I got over a hundred and twenty hits. It can’t be scientific in any shape or form but I’m interested to know why the numbers were so much bigger. Is it because the magic word was PERFECT? Are we all searching for perfection in some way?
I’ve been watching the Olympics, on and off and that search for perfection is something that a few will spend every ounce of energy looking for. When watching the diving, I thought all the dives were amazing but once or twice they got 10’s, which means that some of those judges thought they were perfect dives. They could not have done any part of them better. But what happens when you get a perfect score? Where do you go from there? When you have that perfect moment, enjoy that perfect event, what happens the day after? Holly Bradshaw, the pole vault bronze medallist has been studying psychology and is doing a paper on something to do with how Olympians feel post the games. (I can’t find the exact title because I don’t think it’s been published yet.) A subject that is rarely talked about. Those that fall into depression, struggle with how to deal with normality after the intensity of the games. I used to take a group of young people to Soul Survivor. It was a Christian youth festival, with over 10,000 young people. It was a wonderful five days and most would come home on a high, only to crash once back to normal life. When they weren’t able to maintain that intense and glorious atmosphere, when they still had to deal with difficult situations at home or at school.
So I think what I’m trying to say is that highs are incredible and wonderful. The perfect moment, the perfect event is awesome and can leave you breathless with adrenaline but what happens next is the important bit. That was great but how am I going to face all my normal jobs, the grind of paperwork, cleaning the loos or getting on with that editing? I love a good mountaintop experience but it’s only good if you then use it to jump onto the next bit. And when we’ve been concentrating on getting something done, from Olympic golds to getting a bunch of teenagers to a camp, definitely try to enjoy the moment, try not to miss the details, the little things but then take a breath as you work out how to do the next bit.
