Isn’t Michael Phelps, a forerunner in Men’s Swimming, showing such skill and passion in Beijing as he competes at the 2008 Summer Olympics? It is so exciting to watch how committed he is to his sport and to his teammates. It speaks a great deal about his character and quest for gold.

Karen Blaha

What also caught my eye was how Phelps, after winning and standing there at the three-tiered podium (on the top tier of course), scanned the stadium seats for his mom. No matter what was going on, you didn’t see comfort in his eyes until he spotted “that” face.

It was the face that raised him, that encouraged when trouble was all around him. It was that face that he could rely on to be at every meet and to say just the right thing that would console him after a defeat. It was the only face that he looked for and could you blame him?

A mother’s love is as empowering as it is powerful. Go moms (And, oh, yeah, go for the gold, Mike!)!