The Game of Love

Word got out that Usain Bolt, the world's fastest man, dumped his fashion designer girlfriend to concentrate on the upcoming Olympic Games and now I'm forced to decipher whether or not this is a good idea. Yeah I get it, the Olympics represent the highest level of competition on the planet, where winners are remembered by their countrymen for generations to come and statues are erected long after the feat is accomplished... But what about his girlfriend? I'm sure it wouldn't go down well with me if I was being pushed over for the pursuit of gold on a ribbon, Olympic medal or not, and I'm sure many other relationship partners would agree.

It's not easy being a celebrity, I would imagine. Having this story crack the lineup of top international news headlines makes this TMZ for journalists, a low blow for society and a sign Bolt and his girl were probably hounded by the media.  That kind of stuff would lead to obvious distractions, and may hurt his performance on the track. But who is the distraction, the media or his girlfriend? Being someone's partner doesn't necessarily mean they will be distracting, but the attention that comes with his talent can rarely go unnoticed. Being in the public eye means everything is magnified, including some of the mistakes you will make along the way; placing anywhere other than first would be a national let down, and the rumour mill would be in full motion.

After much consideration, I'm aware that Mr. Bolt was faced with a challenge many people face during their lives in their quest for success; love or career.  It's a crossroad where movies have been based on, books written and songs sung. It's often the premise for love stories gone awry and 'shoulda, coulda, woulda's galore. Broken families, broken hearts... but what really is more important?

I suppose it's up to each individual person to decide what's best for them when they get to that fork in the road. While I have yet to experience a crossroad where my loyalty is questioned and my productivity is in jeopardy, I hope if the day comes I will not be overcome with the thoughts and opinions of others. Maybe he didn't want to be with her anymore and used the races as a way to get her out the back door? Maybe he did it to protect her and they'll be back on when the Olympics are over? Maybe he did it to protect them from what might be the fury of a dejected nation looking for excuses? Either way, it's none of my business and I hope they're both content with the results. Be the difference in your own life and follow what your gut tells you, you'll know if you made the right decision or not.

xoxo