Now that the Olympics are over, what’s next?

I don’t know what I’ll do with myself without Snoop Dogg randomly popping up at the Olympics. Whenever I saw him, I wondered what’s he doing there.

And then I’d smile and remember Pop Jones scrolling through his phone after our interview last year to show me pictures, and he unexpectedly found Snoop Dogg instead. He asked the same question we’re asking now.

“What’s Snoop Dogg doing here?”

(It’s amazing that a 106-year-old even knew who Snoop Dogg was).

Or that Pop Jones would be (an entire year) ahead of his time.

Seriously, what was Snoop Dogg doing at the Olympics? He’s not an athlete; couldn’t they have gotten someone more Olympic-worthy to entertain us?

We watch too much of this gold medal business and believe no one, not even Snoop Dogg, can measure up to those Olympians.

We often compare ourselves to the Olympians, even Snoop Dogg, and feel unworthy. But we forget the metaphor of sports—we’re all Olympians in the trials of life, with our games and gold medals to pursue, win, and sometimes lose.

We watch the Olympics to be Olympic-worthy participants in life—to learn to be winners and losers and handle both with grace, humility, and tears of joy and sorrow.

In the Olympics, there’s even a ping-pong and break-dancing gold medalist.

Yes, there’s a gold medal for any of our life endeavors. We might only sometimes win the gold, but we might as well break out and try.

The torch of inspiration from the Paris Olympics now burns in our souls. It’s time to step off the sidelines and into the game of life.

If you ever wondered, like Pop Jones, what’s Snoop Dogg doing here? Or, what’s Pop Jones doing here?

Or maybe now you’re even wondering, “What am I doing here?”

I get it. I’ve been there too. I wasn’t even going to write this muse.

But let this be our wake-up call (from Snoop Dogg and Pop Jones). How many more games are we going to miss?

And you? You’ve watched the Olympic games and partaken in all the glory. Are you still sitting on the sidelines and feeling less than an Olympic champion?

Snoop Dogg dared to appear at the Olympics even if he isn’t a sports champion (okay, ignore how much he got paid to do it), but we can follow his example and show up for the games in our lives.

The Olympics might be over, so what’s next?

Whatever your sport, we’re all Olympic champions. May you make your Olympics happen. Let the games begin!