St. Patrick Presbyterian Church, Epc

With the Olympics in full swing, the internet is teeming with athletic videos. One I can’t get out of my head is of this young guy well ahead of the pack and clearly destined to win. Curiously, he looks back and sees how far ahead he is, and then sort of… pumps the brakes a bit? The gobsmacked commentators suggest that maybe he was saving his legs for the next heat. But if so, it was a terrible miscalculation, because several of the runners behind him instantly overtook his lead. He didn’t even qualify for that next round. It’s the kind of tragedy that only plays out in real-time arena sports. I’ve never been a runner, but even I was gutted.  Spectating is a fascinating activity. Your sympathetic nervous system ties the action you’re witnessing to your own sense of well-being. Your heart rate undulates. Mirror neurons cause your body to mimic the movements on the field from the stands or your easy chair. It’s such a great argument against the idea of individualism: we are actually wired to be wired to each ot