Disappointment

Last week our family vacationed to Seattle with my mother.  While we spent our days exploring a new city and region, we spent our nights glued to Olympic gymnastics. 

One of the interesting stories out the London Olympics has been the unfulfilled potential of Jordyn Wieber.  The media had crowned Jordyn the All Around champion before the Olympics began.  However, due to new Olympic rules, two other American gymnasts qualified for this competition and she fell a few points short. 

The day of the all-around competition, USA Today ran an article about Jordyn’s mother.  The article relayed how her mother would not attend the competition.  It was too difficult.  The family had invested their entire lives for this competition.  It was too difficult to be there and her daughter not to compete. 

The mother said all the right things – the family was thankful for a gold medal for the team.  However, there was clearly disappointment in her voice.  This was a disappointment that would not go away very quickly.  The mother felt guilty she felt disappointed – her daughter had an Olympic gold medal – but it was still there.  This disappointment would become a constant companion.   

The article made me think of all of the other competitors and their families who never make it this point.  Other gymnasts and their families had sacrificed too, competed at the Olympic trials, and did not make the Olympic team.  What about the other runners, swimmers and athletes who gave up much of their lives for this dream of Olympic gold and never made it to London or the Olympic village.  There are many of us like Jordyn Wieber who live with disappointment as a companion. 

            At the same time, I watched Jordyn’s disappointment play out on an international stage, our family ventured out Seattle on a whale watching tour.  This was a bucket list item for us – something we had always wanted to do.  We spent 12 hours on a boat traveling to the San Juan island, hopeful and watchful, and we never saw a whale.  Disappointment deflated our spirits and I felt guilty.  We were blessed to be in a beautiful face, yet disappointment painted our outlook.  In the smallest of ways, I understood how Jordyn’s mother felt. 

            I’m thinking many us understand how Jordyn Wieber and her mother feel.  Disappointment has moved into our neighborhood.   Sometimes it is disappointment in our family – our children didn’t live up to their potential.  Other times its disappointment in our own lives – we have lived with dashed dreams. 

The way of Jesus does not mean disappointment will not come our way.  There will be trials and tribulations.  Instead, Jesus says, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” [Mt 11:23 NRSV].  Yoked together, Jesus carries our disappointment on his shoulders.