THE RACE
Quit! Give up! You're beaten " ..... they shout out to me & plead,
"There's just too much against you now .....This time you can't succeed!"
And as I start to hang my head, in front of failures face,
My downward fall is broken by, the memory of a race.
And hope refills my weakened will, as I recall that scene,
For just the thought of that short race, rejuvenates my being.
A children's race, young boys, that's all ... how I remember well
Excitement, sure, but also fear.... it wasn't hard to tell.
They all lined up, so full of hope...,. each thought to win the race,
Or tie for first, or if not that ......at least take second place.
And fathers watched from at the side .... each cheering his own son,
And each boy hoped to show his dad .... that he would be the one.
The whistle blew & off we went....... young hearts & hope afire,
To win, to be the hero there....was each young boys desire.
& one boy in particular... whose dad was in the crowd,
Was running near the lead & thought " My dad will be so proud",-----
But as he speeded down the field .... across a shallow dip,
The little boy who thought to win ....lost his step & slipped.
Trying hard to catch himself.... his hands flew out to brace
& mid the laughter of the crowd ...... he fell flat on his face.
So down he fell & with him hope.... he couldn't win it now,
Embarrassed, sad, he only wished ... to disappear somehow.
But as he fell, his dad stood up ...... & showed his anxious face
Which to the boy so clearly said........ " Get up & win the race!"
He quickly rose, no damage done...... behind a bit that's all
& ran with all his mind & might.. .... to make up for his fail.
So anxious to restore himself...... to catch-up & to win
His mind went faster than his legs..... he slipped & fell again!
He wished that he had quit before ..... with only one disgrace,
" I'm hopeless as a runner now ..... I shouldn't try to race".
But, in the laughing crowd he searched ...... & found his father's face,
That steady look which said again ...... " Get up & win the race"
So up he jumped to try again ...... ten yards behind the last,
" If I'm to gain those yards", he thought ...... " I've got to move real fast"
Exerting everything he had ..... he gained not eight but ten,
but trying hard to catch the lead ...... he slipped & fell again.
Defeat! He lay there silently ....... a tear dropped from his eye,
" There's no use running anymore ..... three falls, I'm out, why try?"
The will to rise had disappeared ...... all hope had fled away,
So far behind, so error prone ....... a loser all the way.
" I've lost, so what's the use," he thought ...... Ill live with my disgrace
But than he thought about his dad ......who soon hed have to face.
Get up, an echo sounded low Get up & take your place,
You were not meant for failure here get up & win the race
With borrowed will, get up, it said You havent lost at all,
For winning is not more than this to rise each time you fall.
So, up he rose to win once more he felt he should commit
For he resolved to win or lose at least he wouldnt quit.
So far behind the others now the most hed ever been,
Still, he gave it all he had & ran as though to win.
Three times now he had fallen . three times he rose again,
Too far behind to hope to win .he still ran to the end.
They cheered the winning runner as he crossed in the first place,
Head high & proud & happy no falling, no disgrace.
But when the three fall youngster .crossed the line in last place,
The crowd gave him the biggest cheer .for finishing the race.
& even though he came in last with head bowed low, unproud
You would have thought hed won the race .to listen to the crowd.
& to his dad, he sadly said .I didnt do so well
To me you won, his father said .You rose each time you fell.
& when some things seem dark & hard . & difficult to face.
For all of life is like that race .with ups & down & all,
All you have to do to win is rise each time you fall.
Quit! Give up, youre beaten! they still shout in my face
but another force within me says Get up & win the race!.
Anon. ----Heard while on a Christian holiday in Turkey.
