Instead of binge-watching season two of House of Cards like everyone else this weekend, I finally watched hours of the Winter Olympics: Skeleton, speed skating, ski jumping. From the commercials that pull at your heartstrings (18 million tears and counting) to the figure skating I adored way back during the days of Michelle Kwan (and that tennybopper Tara Lipinski), I love the Olympics and cheering for Team USA. I’m not sure how one figures out out that they are good at, say curling, or the gravity-defying ski jumping, but dang, these athletes are impressive. They put years and blood and sweat into their training, and they have a few short minutes to prove themselves. Their victories (or worse, anguishing defeats) are ours.

In 2012, my best friend (and the biggest Olympics freak I know) and I scored tickets to some Paralympics events in London. Held after the main games are over and in the same facilities, the Paralympics were incredibly humbling to witness. Everyone was in such high spirits as we filed off the crowed Underground and into Olympic Park. There was palpable joy in the air. We watched wheelchair basketball (below) and goalball and instead of a cutthroat atmosphere, it was just triumph all around.