But, you know what, I experienced it first hand last night.
We watched (and were wowed by) the Opening Ceremonies at a bar in Yaletown last night. We high-fived Russians and Slovakians, Brazilians and Americans, Britains and Aussies as each team entered the stadium. We sang O Canada in tandem. We wrapped our arms around each other. We poured out on to the streets after Gretzky lit the outdoor cauldron and the world was there -- all cheering, singing, woohooing, laughing, fist-pumping.
It was a sea of energy-induced peace.
We donned our hockey-helmet toques, our Canadian flag temporary tattoos, and our red and white spirit and joined the party.
As we headed toward the outdoor cauldron, we passed 2010 lanterns made by school children, a hodgepodge of visitors belting out O Canada, a tuba player marching on his own and playing O Canada, flags waving high and mighty: Russia, Germany, Italy, France, Uk, and more. We high-fived strangers. We hugged them too.
It made what slam poet Shane Koyczan said –– "we're an experiment gone right for a change." –– seem immediately true.
Whether you like the Olympics or you don't, you can't deny that it unites the globe in friendly competition. And for a moment, if only for a moment, all seems right in the world. And it's kinda nice.
