“I believe Canadians tonight are stronger, more united, more in love with our country and more connected with each other than ever before…these Olympic games have lifted us up…Canadians, you joined each other and our colourful international visitors in common celebration – radiant, jubilant, spontaneous, peaceful “- John Furlong, Chief Executive Officer of the  Vancouver Organizing Committee

Amen, Mr. Furlong. It was much more than just a bunch of athletes competing for medals…much, much more.

I was truly bittersweet to watch the closing ceremonies and it had nothing to do with the floating moose or giant beavers wheeling around BC Place. I was still feeling the high of the hockey team reaching gold medal #14, but saddened to see our  shared experience come to an end. I was sad to see an event come to a close that filled our hearts full of joy as each day’s triumphs unfolded and the unity of Canadians grew to a higher level one pair of red mittens at a time.

This was a remarkable Olympic Games on many levels, but what leaves an impression on me the most is the high level of positive energy that so easily manifests when we humans view ourselves as being connected rather than being separate….like 35 million tiny islands. We cheered together as Alexandre Bilodeau finally brought us gold on home turf, we exhaled together as Sidney Crosby delivered the ending we were longing for, and when Joannie Rochette won the bronze, we cried together and collectively wanted to wrap our arms around her and give her a hug that spanned from coast to coast.

Ask yourself why these Olympic Games felt so damn good. Ask yourself why you secretly belted out “I Believe” at the top of your lungs in the privacy of your home at least once. Ask yourself why you watched those quirky closing ceremonies and forgave everything because You. Are. Canadian.

I feel that the connectedness and hence, the positive energy that this Olympic Games inspired is truly why these past 2 weeks have left a mark on us and why we’re sad that the flame has gone out. For 2 weeks, we were ONE nation.

This was a time in our lives brimming with hope, compassion, and glee (yes, I’m using that last word with no regrets) and now that the Olympic flame has gone out, will the light give way to the darkness that comes with perceiving separation? Will we consciously decide to keep seeing ourselves as ONE? Will we still wish success for each other? Will we still care if someone’s heart is breaking? Will we still cheer when someone else wins? Will the LIGHT keep shining?

VANOC didn’t tell us to get excited about the games, nor did the Government, but we did. We were excited and hopeful  because we are kind of looking for permission to be a constant source of love. We’re looking for a reason to live out what our souls are yearning to experience, but what our ego-minds lead us to resist and fear. You see, it was easy to express all that love to “strangers” because that is why we’re truly here having this human experience and if felt so good to be aligned with our higher purpose. There is a collective awakening going on about our greater purpose and that is why we saw it come alive in THESE games.

Can we stay awake?

Thanks to the Vancouver Winter Olympics, our typical feelings of being separated from each other (and all the fear and cynicism that often accompanies it) faded away and was replaced with overwhelming levels of love, optimism and positive energy. For 2 weeks, we were all sparks of light that helped a nation to glow. Now, let the games continue!