Try being nice, it’s contagious!

Sometimes, being nice in underrated. In fact, some people use “nice” to describe something quite different and many think nice people finish last. In Sochi though, I observed the best side of nice. And it spread as fast as the darn cold virus (yes I’m still bitter that I was sick and unable to function on three hours sleep and party every night and no, it has nothing to do with age…).

Early in the games, I walked to the village for some nostalgia therapy. I walked in the gym to check it out, only to find our snowboard team training. And they all came and talked to me, putting me in a very positive frame of mind.

Next I went to the social/recreation centre. It’s one of the nicest I have seen (pictures below). And I am welcomed by a smiling volunteer who doesn’t sound one bit Russian. She happens to be from Victoria and we chat for a while. Which then makes me think that maybe we should recognize Canadian volunteers working for the local organizing committee, which we have not done before. Some we put something together for our volunteers!

Which bring me to how nice our athletes are. Brian McKeever (and his brother and coach Robin) are some of the nicest people you’ll meet. I think I saw Brian shiver in his race suit because he was spending so much time talking to fans (me included). And maybe, that’s something that started early at home, but I know that long time coach and mentor Kaspar probably had something to do with it. When Kaspar (pictured here with CPC CEO Karen O’Neill – another one of many nice and incredibly competent person I get to work with) asks how you’re doing, he means it!

Today, I walked back to the village and saw some US sledge hockey players and stopped to tell them how impressed I had been with their play and that they truly deserved that gold medal. I also saw the curling bronze medalists who rebounded from a horrible semi final to win their last match and commented on how impressive a turn around that was.

I don’t know if I have new friends, but  think I paid it forward with kindness.