A medal is a silly thing. A piece of metal. An unnecessary impact on our environment. And still, having crossed the finish line I couldn’t make myself to say no thank you, which had been my intention. After all, I’ve thrown all previous medals in the recycling bin. So why bring another one home.

Yet, I think there is something in the moment of reception. On your best day it’s a way to celebrate your achievement on your lesser day it can be moment of acceptance. You gave it your best shot, you finished – and it is still an achievement.

If you think practically about things, there’s a lot of silly things in our culture. But then, we’re not really practical but emotional creatures. A medal is a silly thing. But so is a birthday cake or a wedding ring. It’s not the thing itself but the meaning and value we charge it with.