Closing Thoughts

Looking back, I can’t help but wonder what life would have been like if I had never gotten involved with the Special Olympics. If Josephine and I had never stepped foot into that world, perhaps things would have been different—less complicated, less isolating. At least then, I wouldn't be sitting here alone, day after day, reflecting on a relationship that was slowly drained by the very system that was supposed to support us.

If we hadn't joined, Josephine would still be traveling up for the occasional meals, watching a bit of TV, enjoying the DVD collection we both treasured before catching the last bus back to Wicklow. Simple moments like that—those small, unhurried pieces of time—might have been enough for us to maintain a friendship that never should have been lost.

But the Special Olympics, as I’ve come to realize, wasn’t just about supporting athletes or fostering community. It was about control, rules, and expectations that seeped into everything, even the personal relationships I had with people I cared about. Josephine, with her dedication, got tangled in it just as I did, and it eventually took her from me. And I’m left here, reflecting on how a once bright and vibrant connection ended up fractured by the very institution that was supposed to help.

I never imagined that my time in the Special Olympics would leave me feeling like this—empty, disconnected, and without the camaraderie I once hoped for. But here I am, grappling with what could have been, trying to make sense of the damage done.

All I can do now is share my story, hoping that others might understand the personal cost of it all. My experience isn’t just about the athletes and volunteers; it’s about the way systems of control can silently erode what should have been the most meaningful relationships of our lives.

And so, my message is simple: Sometimes the price of belonging is far too high.

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