So often I feel that life is one giant competition and I am always on the losing team. The comparison game is the worst, ‘cause I can always find someone who does it better. Today I am just feeling defeated. However in sitting here writing this I am reminded of the poem,
The Race, and can hear the words “get up and win the race”. I love that poem and thought I would share it and perhaps in reading it, will find the resolve to stop throwing myself a pity party.
THE RACE
by Dee Groberg
“Quit! Give Up! You’re beaten”
They shout at me and 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 failure’s 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 memory of that short race
Rejuvenates my being
II
A children’s race - young boys, young men
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 that race
Or tie for first, or if not that,
At least take second place.
And fathers watched from off the side
Each cheering for his son
And each boy hoped to show his dad
That he would be the one
The whistle blew and off they went
Young hearts and hopes afire
To win and be the hero there
Was each young boy’s desire
And one boy in particular
Whose dad was in the crowd
Was running in the lead and thought
“My dad will be so proud!”
But as they speeded down the field
Across a shallow dip
The little boy who thought to win
Lost his step and slipped
Trying hard to catch himself
His hands flew out to brace
And mid the laughter of the crowd
He fell flat on his face
So down he fell and 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
And showed his anxious face
Which to the boy so clearly said:
“Get up and win the race”
He quickly rose, no damage done
- Behind a bit that’s all -
And ran with all his mind and might
To make up for his fall
So anxious to restore himself
- To catch up and to win -
His mind went faster than his legs:
He slipped and 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
And found his father’s face;
That steady look which said again
“Get up and win the race!”
So up he jumped to try again
- Ten yards behind the last -
“If I’m going to win those yards,” he thought
“I’ve got to move real fast.”
Exerting everything he had
He regained eight or ten,
But trying hard to catch the lead
He slipped and fell again!
Defeat! He lied there silently
- A tear dropped from his eye -
“There’s no sense running anymore;
Three strikes: 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
“I’ll live with my disgrace.”
But then he thought about his dad
Who soon he’d have to face
“Get up” an echo sounded low.
“Get up and take your place;
You were not meant for failure here.
Get up and win the race.”
“With borrowed will get up,” it said
“You haven’t lost at all
For winning is no more than this:
To rise each time you fall”
So up he rose to run once more
And with a new commit
He resolved that win or lose
At least he wouldn’t quit
So far behind the others now
- the most he’d ever been -
Still he gave it all he had
And ran as though to win
Three times he’d fallen, stumbling;
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 the line first place
Head high, and proud, and happy;
No falling, no disgrace
But when the fallen youngster
Crossed the line last place,
The crowd gave him the greatest cheer,
For finishing the race
And even though he came in last
With head bowed low, unproud
You would have thought he’d won the race
To listen to the crowd
And to his dad he sadly said,
“I didn’t do too well.”
“To me, you won,” his father said
“You rose each time you fell.”
III
And now when things seem dark and hard
And difficult to face
The memory of that little boy
Helps me in my race
For all of life is like that race
With ups and downs and all
And all you have to do to win
Is rise each time you fall
“Quit! Give up! You’re beaten!”
They all shout in my face
But another voice within me says;
“GET UP AND WIN THE RACE”
