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| The fifth miner to emerge from the San Jose mine is Osman Araya, 29, after he was trapped for 69 days after the collapse of a tunnel on August 5. (UPI/Hugo Infante/Government of Chile Photo via Newscom) |
On one hand, I was elated. I loved hearing the people chant and sing as each miner exited the capsule. I loved seeing the reunions with family and loved ones. The emotions were saw raw and so real. And that's what made me feel a little uncomfortable – almost as we were watching something that was too intimate, something that wasn't meant to be seen by strangers.
But the Chilean government set it up that way. This wasn't a bunch of paparazzi chasing a buck. It was a country wanting to celebrate the life, near death, and resurrection-like ascent of 32 of its citizens, plus one citizen of another country. Knowing that made it feel more acceptable.
As the rescue efforts neared an end yesterday, Bill Bennett said something on CNN that was so true, "Things go by so fast – particularly good things. You can savor this one – each one coming up." He was right. The cheering never got old. As each guy surfaced, Camp Hope cheered. As each guy was placed on a gurney and shuffled off to receive medical treatment, he floated through a group of people who formed a line on both sides of him and clapped for him.
Watching this happen over and over, it made me wonder if we are clapping for the wrong things in life. Or, at the very least, if we are missing opportunities to cheer for reasons that really matter.
I'm a sportswriter. I love sports. I cheer for athletes (when I'm not in the press box). But in recent years, I find myself cheering for athletes because of their humanity and because of their guts more than their jersey color.
I cheered for Joannie Rochette as she took the ice in February to skate in the Olympics just two days after her mother died. I cheered for John Isner at Wimbledon after playing the longest match in history, but still wanting to come back and put on a good show for fans. Getting overly excited when my team wins the Super Bowl doesn't have the same appeal to me it once did.
And that brings me to my point.
How different might the world look if we stood outside the cancer ward and cheered as a friend walked out after receiving her last treatment? How different might the world look if we stood outside the detox unit and cheered for the family member who successfully completed much needed treatment? How different might the world look if we looked for reasons to cheer louder for people we know than for celebrities we don't?
