By Brenda Black
I tearfully watched as one after
another of thousands of runners willed their wearied legs toward the
finish line. Some ran for the first time a race that far and hard.
Their grimaced lips and tear-filled eyes revealed the pain of the
process and relief for its culmination. Some tested their endurance
for the hundredth race, cruising past in steady strides, with
experience breathing in and out as evenly. From the first timers to
the Olympic qualifiers, each one reached their destiny powered by
tenacity.
Half wincing, half intrigued, I
witnessed a man pull nails out of a board with his mouth, in pursuit
of a Guinness World Record. His tenacity demanded steely
concentration, as well as tough teeth! In a room filled with
photographers, judges and reporters, he never lost focus, but
annihilated the nails and beat the clock as if he ate hammers for
breakfast.
A young, female doctor who owns a
brand new clinic is home on maternity leave, planning how she'll
juggle a newborn and 8,000 small and large animal patients. She tells
me she'll take her race one leg at a time and handle the tough test
of dual commitment and a divided heart. She's filled with tenacious
optimism and determined to balance family and career.
They all remind me yet again of the
amazing potential of the human spirit and body when one puts his or
her mind to something and compels the heart to follow. While their
examples are inspiring, it is also humbling to think of how little I
often expect from myself. A bit of pain or inconvenience and I might
be prone to take the shorter, easier route. At the end of that
decision, I have to wonder, did the short cut leave me more fulfilled
or empty. Will I know that I left it all on the field and played this
game of life to win, pushing the limits of my own human
possibilities, if I never do the hard stuff or try something out of
my comfort zone?
Stepping out in faith and fortitude
takes effort. Marathon runners don't wake up on race day and go 26.2
miles without building up the stamina, one step, one mile at a time.
Guinness record breakers know the target before they ever make the
attempt, and they practice, practice, practice. Moms count the cost
and factor in the blessings to be the best they can be for their
babies, in spite of the tears and trials. After weighing the odds and
looking to the prize, the tenacious go to work to see their dreams
become reality.
Take the first step. Keep the focus.
Find the balance. Be tenacious and finish the race.
