Sport: n. An activity usually involving physical exertion and having a set form and body of rules; a game.

My definition: a game that people in this country obsess over, whether it be watching Mark McGwire chase a benchmark record, hearing about Tiger Woods leaving others in the dust, or dreaming of another comeback from a rejuvenated Michael Jordan.

The physical “abnormalities” of the male and female athlete have been cheered and gawked at since Lord knows when. In today’s society, we hold such people as role models for our children to emulate, or at least until their skeletons come out of the closet.

With sports beginning to take shape on Monday night, the fan, the kid and the wonderer in all of us got a spark of life again. It’s good to see people out on the field, playing in a dream world that few get to experience. But is it normal?

Normal: n. Conforming to a norm or standard; typical; free from physical and emotional disorder.

Well, that didn’t help. The fact is, life won’t be the same as it has been for years. That’s one thing I admire about the attitude of many athletes (not the owners and not some fans). The men and women of the sports world didn’t want to play. For a while, that didn’t get through the thick skulls of commissioners and owners.

The players knew that the concept of normal had changed for the rest of their lives. They knew it was just like waking up one morning when you’re six and figuring out that Santa Claus doesn’t exist.

Normal will be redefined in this society, and in the sports realm, as time goes on. Only that factor can help bring that sense into a better light.

Tragedy: n. A disastrous event.

Loss has come around in different forms this week.

Eight cross country runners from the University of Wyoming lost their lives Sunday when their SUV suffered a head-on collision with a pickup truck. The driver of the truck and the lone survivor in the accident was a fellow Wyoming student. Yesterday, he was charged with vehicular homicide and being drunk at the scene.

In Germany, one of auto racing’s most recognizable figures lies in a Berlin hospital after surviving a terrible crash.

CART racer Alex Zanardi led the American Memorial 500 on Saturday with 12 laps to go in the race. As he tried to pit, he lost control of the car and drove back out onto the track, perpendicular to the other racers.

Patrick Carpentier missed the two-time points champion, but Alex Tagliani hit him dead on.

The miracle out of this story is that Zanardi has survived the accident to this point. However, the Italian star will probably never race again after having both his legs amputated.

Any other week, these two stories of calamity would be at the forefront of discussion. However, they stand in the lengthy shadow that was cast by the events of last Tuesday. A very blunt definition of the word “tragedy” hit this country last week, probably for the first time in decades. With sports taking a back seat to the major issues of this nation, people were given a chance to take a breath.

Heal: n. To restore or regain health or soundness; to set right; repair.

This is something that needed to be done from the inside out, and the inside didn’t include sports. The decision to start play on Monday let the country take a look at itself, its values and its role in the world.

The first step toward looking into the future hasn’t even been taken yet, and it won’t for a while, but letting the inner wounds start to get better before the exterior bruises is the right thing to do.

Patriotism: n. To love, support, and defend one’s country.

Usually I am an optimistic person. I look for the best while things run their course. This is no different. As sports rebuilds with the rest of the country, I hope that people (especially myself) will put athletics in perspective to what life is. Living can expose people to many joys and pains, and sports is just one facet.

I hope that all athletes can become like the seemingly fewer and fewer out there that truly appreciate what they do for themselves and others in this nation of ours.

Jonathan Lowe is a senior in meteorology from Kansas City, Mo.