Patriotism moves me in ways I can't explain. Not the "We are Better then You" patriotism or the "we are the Strongest, Bravest, Bestest nation in the whole wide universe" kind.... I'm not a die hard fan of military corps nor do I kiss my flag before going to bed every night, but I am highly sensitive when it comes to people showing they are proud of belonging to their country.
Perhaps it's the fact that I'm still struggling to understand where exactly I fit in this world and so watching people brought together around the common thread of their nation touches me.
This is exactly what happens to me every time, every time, I hear a stadium sing a national anthem before a game of any sorts, and with the World Cup in full swing you could say I am giving my tear ducts a major use lately. Hearing people belt out their national hymns, singing at the top of their lungs the words that unite them as a people, it just makes my eyes swell. I'm the first to stand up and start howling out those "Mexicanos al grito de guerra..." lyrics (as the people in a little bar in Lisbon recently found out when we watched the Mexico - South Africa soccer match last Friday) but the hair on my arms still stand up and my eyes still get watery when I hear the meaningful lyrics of the Star-Spangled Banner or God Save the Queen or the Marseillese or any other anthem echo and thunder inside a stadium, being belted out by the power of thousands of throats in unison.
And if you really want to see me bawl my eyes out.... show me the players singing. When the camera shows those athletic faces, with all their might, eyes focused, face strong and decided, hand over heart, pride oozing out of every pore of their bodies my vision gets blurry and my throat clogs up. I'm always a little disappointed when I see players who don't sing their anthem. I mean, I know they are probably concentrating on the game ahead, but dude, this is why you're here!! You're carrying a whole nation's hopes and dreams on your shoulders, they are rooting for you, praying for you, hanging on your every move, every turn, every spin.... they are holding their breath when you touch the ball.... this is why you are here!! The least you can do is sing the words to the thread that unites you to them and them to you.
Fned.
5 comments:
"And if you really want to see me bawl my eyes out.... show me the players singing. When the camera shows those athletic faces, with all their might, eyes focused, face strong and decided, hand over heart, pride oozing out of every pore of their bodies my vision gets blurry and my throat clogs up."
Ditto. And that just summed up a huge part of why I love the World Cup so much.
How about the tears while watching a good old fashioned parade??? And yes..sporting events between different countries are definitely tear material!
Kyle: Vive la pasion del futbol!!!! I know you KNOW what those words mean to die hard fans like us!!! Bises!
Mimi: hehehe, it's funny, I was thinking of the Fiesta parade when I was thinking of public manifestations that move me to tears...
Fned.
Yes, all those things choke me up too. Plus, old WWII movies with fighter planes against the sun and police and military funerals. I've never really been comfortable with my reaction, but I can't stop it.
Jonna: I understand exactly what you mean about the WWII movies! I get moved to tears watching any commercial with a melancholic music playing in the background, no matter the product!! Strange, but my tear ducts seemed to be wired to that particular neurone in my brain!! :)
Fned.
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