During a race at a track meet, if someone ever falls down for an injury and can’t finish the race, it is the most beautiful thing when another person sacrifices their own race to pick that person up and cross the finish line together.
I think this act of kindness shows just how much we sometimes need others to help pick us up. Sometimes it feels impossible to cross that finish line, sometimes it feels impossible to even keep going. But you don’t have to go on this journey alone.
During my run the other day, I couldn’t help but think about all of the terrible things happening in our world. It felt at one point that the overwhelming sadness that I felt was going to keep me from making it home. I then started to think about those track races. I know all too well the feeling when you get injured during a race. You feel helpless and defeated. But it’s remarkable to see the support from what could be someone’s rival on the track, pick their opponent up. And it is remarkable to see that even in our lowest moments, we have someone there to help us through.
Although life is not always like running, we have to do our best to keep running, to keep putting one foot in front of the other, to keep moving forward. It’s okay if you feel like you can’t keep going, but at that point, when you feel helpless and defeated, know that you can ask for help. Know that you can lean on others for support. And by asking for help and finding the support and kindness of others, you can start again. You can start putting one foot in front of the other yet again, and you will regain strength. You will keep pushing, until you’re ready to run yet another race in this thing called life.
You never have to do this on your own. There is always someone to help you pick up what you feel has been broken. There is always someone that will be there for you to understand and listen. Even when it feels like you are alone, you aren’t. Always remember that even in the most competitive races, acts of selflessness and kindness allowed one athlete to stop their race and support another to cross the finish line. We may have a lot of crazy and sad things going on in our world right now, but there will always be someone who is willing to stop and support you on your journey, to help you in your healing, until you are ready to begin the race of life again. And then in the future, you can help someone else, who has fallen down and also needs support. We can change the world together. So do not be afraid to ask for help when you fall down. We all experience those feelings of helplessness and defeat sometimes, but one act of kindness can change the whole world. We are not alone.
Xo,