How will you run your race?

Yesterday was my son Kale's final home meet for Cross Country. The course for this year was different than in previous years, and during the race someone moved some of the flags that marked the path so a group of boys, including Kale, ended up off course. Those boys worked so hard, and Kale and his friend Forrest were able to catch up to and pass all their teammates that had taken the shorter path. Kale was so disappointed that he was not able to medal, but he learned something about himself as he ran his heart out trying.

Kale and the other boys could have given up when they saw how far behind they were, but they didn't. They gave it an extra effort, and continued through to the end. They ran harder than they have ever run in the past, and they found courage in each other as they ran. Kale spent most of the race running next to a kid from another school who had longer legs, and who was wearing spikes. Kale was sure that kid was faster than him, due to those advantages, and there were times he wanted to give up, but he held on and kept going. They crossed the finish line together. He found comfort in running together, and it gave him extra grit to give it his all. His friend Forrest not only ran that extra distance, but he also managed to catch the first group of boys and secure himself a medal. Even though Kale was disappointed that he was not able to medal himself, he had nothing but joy and admiration for his friend's achievement.

I keep thinking that there are life lessons in there. We all find ourselves off course at some time in our lives, sometimes through our own choices, and sometimes because of the choices of others. We get to choose how we will respond to that. Do we quit? Do we slow down because we know we can't possibly win? Or do we put in the extra effort and give it our all? When we are in the middle of challenging circumstances in our lives, do we try to go it alone, or do we look around and find someone to run with? When we see others achieving the things we wish we could, do we choose to be jealous, or do we find joy in their success? Do we cheer each other on? And lastly, when we finish, and maybe not everything turned out quite the way we wanted it to, do we focus on the mistakes, or do we choose to look at what we have achieved, and the encouragement of others that helped get us to the finish line?

My heart ached for Kale as he expressed his disappointment at what had happened. And my heart was also full as he chose to look at the positives, and realized some of his strengths through the experience. While there was sadness, I really feel like this race will be more memorable than all the others, because of the challenge, and the heart of those boys as they rose to meet it. I hope that it will become something they take through their lives, and learn from. I know it is already teaching me.