I am especially grateful for two things that have remained untouched in my memories over the decades: the underlying spirit of sports, and my respect for our flag.

Competing in athletics is not easy. The emotions athletes go through are immense and affect athletes differently. Some perform better than expected, while others fall apart under tough competition. Physical injuries can affect the outcome, but so can emotions. Some athletes — after years of hard work — lose or win by just hundredths of a second, or by a fraction of an inch.

Although there were many examples of athletes who performed in spectacular ways in the 2024 Olympics, I think the totality of the spirit of sports was best illustrated by the U.S. men’s gymnastics team. They won their first Olympic team medal since 2008, and while doing so, they exemplified the many trustworthy elements of sport: hard work, commitment, self-discipline, perseverance, excellence under pressure, pride in representing their country, love and support for each other, willingness to sacrifice for the good of the team, respect for the other competitors — and extreme joy over an earned accomplishment.

It took the men’s gymnastics team 16 years and individual sacrifices, to reach their goal. The wonder and magnitude of what they had done was seen in their faces and hugs — and touched so many watching them.

Stephen Nedoroscik, from Sarasota, competed in only one event, the pommel horse, but his performance was vital in helping his team win their bronze medal. Afterward, he said it was “the best moment of my life.”

What happened to Stephen and the gymnastic team was not a fluke or a lucky break. It was the result of years of hard work, a defined purpose, and a dedication to a goal. To be successful as an athlete, the nature of sport dictates that rules must be followed, that self-discipline has to be exerted, that you have to compete fairly, and that hard work, perseverance and sacrifice are part of the equation.

I was touched deeply by the instilled values Olympic athletes have, but dismayed that many of us have lost these values as citizens. Athletes can’t just show up and expect to be rewarded, nor can they obtain excellence and reach their objective without putting in the time and effort. Often, individuals have to give up their own desires and spot in the sun for the good of the team. This is also true for citizens when they want what is best for our country.

All of us should note the respect the Olympic athletes had for their opponents, congratulating the winners regardless of the pain they felt in their own loss. We should also note what a large role the American flag played in their competitive experience.

The 2024 Olympic athletes wrapped themselves in our flag with pride and jubilation — in sharp contrast to protestors who burn our flag because they do not respect the flag’s symbolic value.

Carrying the U.S. flag during athletic competition changes the way you look at your country. You no longer look at your country as being responsible for you — instead, you feel an immense responsibility toward your country.

The Olympics reminded me how fortunate we are as people of a free country — and how important a work ethic, teamwork and respect for others is in building a good and meaningful life as a free individual.

Albert Einstein said “Try not to become a man of success but rather try to become a man of value.” Somehow, the Olympics has managed to combine both of these goals — being a success and a person of value.

I hope our flag and the spirit of the Olympics will live forever.

Patsy Neal was a three time AAU All-American, represented the U. S. in the 1959 Pan American Games, and carried the American flag as captain of the U.S. team in the 1964 World Basketball Championship. She is an inductee in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. She lives in Matthews, N.C.

I have noticed some of those signs in you, such as failing eyesight and hearing, a more hesitant walk, and slower movements. The mind and soul are willing, but the body has a destiny of its own. Aging is a certainty of our universe, totally beyond our willingness to manage it.

So, I certainly don’t fault you for getting old. However, I do fault you for not seeing the obvious. If you were to be re-elected in 2024, and your health should decline ever further — which it will — four more years as our president is taking a risk that America cannot afford.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the life expectancy for an American man is 73.5 years. You exceeded that by over four years in 2021 when you were sworn in as the oldest United States president in history at the age of 78. (Donald Trump was the oldest before your inauguration.)

If re-elected, you would be 82 to 86 during your second term. Please think about the consequences if something should happen to your health while in a second term. A big concern Americans have is who would take over the duties of president if you were incapacitated. That would be the Vice President Kamala Harris.

In 2021, you assigned Harris to take the lead in controlling the influx of migrants coming across the Mexico-United States border. Although Harris developed a strategy to control the influx of migrants, more migrants came across our southern border in 2023 than in any year since records started being kept in 1960.

Whether fair or not, many Americans connect the failure at the border to Harris and to Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, who has recently gone through impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives.

To be fair, the border problem is not totally the fault of Harris or Mayorkas, since Congress has been completely ineffective in dealing with immigration, leaving the border insecure for at least the last ten years.

The influx of migrants into border states and the busing of thousands of migrants from Texas to large cities like New York, Chicago and Denver has put cities in a financial bind to meet the needs of the migrants and the needs of their own citizens.

This is important because Americans not only worry about security at the border, but they worry about the economic impact of mass immigration, and what the unmanaged inflow of migrants is doing to their own pocketbooks.

Every vote counts in a tight election. The polls don’t look good for Biden and Harris as a team. Actually, the polls show that most Americans don’t want Biden or Trump running for president in 2024.

The recent report by Special Council Robert Hur, in which he said a jury would see the president as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” will certainly not help Biden in the polls, even if Hur’s comments are questionable.

As a senior and as a citizen, I see three things that could result in a loss of the White House in 2024. One is the economy, partially tied to immigration, two is Biden’s age, and three is the person he chose as his vice president. He can only control the last two.

We live in dangerous times. Our country and the world need someone who can depolarize our country and instill strength and trust in our leadership in the world. Biden did a superb job strengthening NATO, but we need someone who can meet future challenges at home and abroad. Our present secretary of state, Antony Blinken, might be a possibility. During 2021-2023, he traveled over 630,000 miles to 68 countries in 267 days, displaying an exceptional understanding of diplomacy and global problems.

President Biden, you are a good man, and you have served your country with honor for over five decades. You have also been a first class warrior, but it’s time to pass the baton — or at least refortify your position with a strong vice president, whether Blinken or someone else.

Please don’t wait too late to do the right thing for our country.

Patsy Neal has had several books, articles and op-eds published, and received four Freedom Foundation Awards for her essays. She lives in Matthews, North Carolina.