Sports

The greatest show in the world

Today something common happened. Something that happens two or three times every weekend in two or three cities in the United States every week.

Today something common happened. Something he had never thought about before, never really noticed before.

Something common happened today and I finally realized it.

Today I took my family to the Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey Circus in Orlando, Florida. We wander among the animal enclosures admiring Asian elephants and several varieties of tigers. We were in awe of the beautifully groomed horses and the somewhat stubborn zebras. While the animals were preparing for their part in the show, the humans were ushered into the arena. There are circus performers of all kinds mingling with the audience giving autographs, posing for pictures, smiling and waving. This was everyday Americana.

It was only when the lights dimmed and everyone found their seats that something happened. One of the world’s greatest emcees, Tom McFarland, officiated. Tom McFarland is a master of ceremonies extraordinaire. He is attended by some of the highest paid motivational speakers in the world. As he enters the arena, PT Barnum himself can almost be seen standing before the crowd, ushering them in for the Greatest Show on Earth. Mr. McFarland’s singing voice is a rich baritone, but when he came out he wasn’t singing. He walked out humbly despite his big, sequenced emcee uniform. Like the General that he is (at least in the circus), Tom McFarland strode out in a single white spotlight. On the huge television screen appeared the tape “We Support Our Troops” by the Ringling Brothers.

The audience fell silent as a humble emcee stood up and announced that he would like to thank the troops, those serving in foreign lands, those serving here at home and the Orlando public. Mr. McFarland stated that he had proudly served his country for 12 years in the United States Army and wanted to invite one of his acting partners, a former Air Force reservist, to perform.

Without fanfare, the curtains parted and hoofbeats were heard. Like Calvary of old, the lone horseman galloped into the arena carrying our nation’s flag. She stood upright in the stirrups as her steed halted and Mr. McFarland held out his hand. He invited the audience to rise and join him in the National Anthem. This is a common scene in American sports; a lone singer invites the audience to their feet and for a moment we all come together in support of our nation, our neighbors and our troops.

But today was somehow different. As the words began to echo through the arena, the little children began to chant at the top of their lungs. Heard even over the amplified voice of Mr. McFarland and the accompanying brass band, the little children sang:

“Oh tell me, can you see by the early light of dawn? What we so proudly hail at the

the last glow of twilight…”

In all my various professional roles, I have learned to avoid emotional displays, but tears streamed down my face as my voice joined the voices of hundreds saluting our nation and the more than 3,000 who have given their lives for it. in recent years. .

A beautiful thing happened today, and in the words of the final song on Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey’s Greatest Show on Earth, “Anything is possible.”