Lane 8 and hurricane season have a common thread. A David versus Goliath type of thread.
A big, formidable foe, and a lowly and weak opponent.
Humans versus a category four hurricane. Who loses? Humans.
David versus Goliath. Looking at the two, most would bet on the giant – the obvious, overwhelmingly physically superior human.
Ya still with me?
With proper preparation, a foe’s strengths can be mitigated.
We can’t stop hurricanes, but we can wisely prepare for them.
We also can’t stop the aging process, but with dedicated and consistent focus, we can age wisely. Certainly, at the very least, we can make it better than if we do nothing.
We also might surprise ourselves at the house we can build, if we plan ahead, and work hard.
That’s why I think going to Finland in August is such a David versus Goliath feat.
One of my all-time favorite movies, in any genre, is Without Limits– the Steve Prefontaine story.
He was a front-runner. meaning, he went out front, grabbed the lead and held onto it until the finish line.
His coach, Bill Bowerman, at the University of Oregon, tried to get him to hold back and draft off other runners. Hold back so he could run his last mile faster than his first mile – and probably his overall time would be faster.
Pre, basically, would have none of it.
(Click here – Pre’s attitude – to play the movie trailer)
The only way he knew how to run was flat out, all the way.
Even if he lost, he would always know that he left nothing on the track.
His greatest race was the 5,000 at the 1972 Munich Olympics. He finished fourth.
But it was still his greatest race.
If I have to explain it to you, then you probably won’t understand. But that’s OK. There’s a ton I still don’t understand.
I do understand one thing though, if your goals aren’t impossible, you’re not reaching high enough. You can quote me on that one.
Carpe diem and leave nothing on the track. jeff noel 🙂
Derek Redmond was favored to win the 400 meters at the 1992 Olympics. This video clip shows that no matter what the obstacles before you, you should still try to finish the race. Never give up.
There comes a point in life, I believe, when we are faced with a tough decision.
But the toughness isn’t apparent. It’s not life-threatening. It’s not going to make us rich. It’s not the end of the world emotionally if it doesn’t happen. But happen it must.
What does this metaphor, “The slowest of the Fastest” mean?
It means very simply this:
We have a choice every moment of every day.
To be positive, or, to not be positive.
Here’s one of life’s invisible truths: Everybody is fighting a hard battle. Everyone. Even the people who appear, on the surface, to have a great (easy) life.
We all have a choice on how we live our lives.
There are two choices:
To be the fastest of the slowest.
To be the slowest of the fastest.
On our deathbed, if we are lucky (blessed) to have this moment, we can look back on our lives and say with a peaceful joy, “I gave it my best effort and have no regrets about what I could have, should have or would have done“.
Visit, or revisit, if you’re interested, the post that explains another metaphor, Lane 8 .
Carpe diem, because if you don’t, who will. If not today, when? jeff 🙂