I must admit that ice skating has become a sport that seems to defy the laws of gravity and the bounds of human balance and movement. I don’t tire of watching these athletes do things I frankly can’t believe just happened before my eyes. But remember, I am afraid of height, speed, and slippery surfaces. I hated ice skating as a child. So, I just stare in wonder at their skills … even the “last place” skaters.
The Italians evidently have decided the Olympics are just boring and are flocking to performances of a five-hour-long opera about the end of the world. I can’t imagine sitting through any performance that long, and frankly, I have never sat through an opera.
My wife, Susan, wanted to thank our employees by buying them tickets to Les Misérables. I cautioned her that any opera with the word “miserable” in its title was unlikely to be appreciated by our younger employees. It lived up to, or maybe down to its title: Miserable … except for the brief moments when we heard the one song that we all know: I Dreamed a Dream. This musical is just not for everybody.
So, with all this as background, it is fascinating to read that the Italians are making it known that they object to the Olympics by attending a five-hour opera. It was a lead story in the Wall Street Journal. And that brings us to the phrase many of us use that comes from this opera: “It ain’t over till the fat lady sings.”
It means that one should not presume knowing the outcome of an event that is still in progress. It cautions against assuming that an event’s current state is irreversible. My admonition that relates is to understand tariffs are not the end game … they are just the classic opener in any international negotiation … why doesn’t the press get that? Instead, the press seems more concerned about using colorful language to make their endlessly repeating talking points.
And, for those who are prone to political correctness, remember that Italian operatic sopranos are generally fat ladies! It is not tone deaf of someone to state the obvious.
By the way, the phrase carries with it a wise note of patience and deference in life … don’t assume the end just because you think it is over. My parallel language is precisely that: it ain’t over till it’s over. Faith is central here … believing that it is not over offers us a positive way to change things for the better … not just resigning ourselves to what seems inevitable.
But … perhaps it is over for you when you believe it is over … so stop believing that.