Last week I started a
two-part post about my experience with marathons. We’ve already established that I am not a
runner, per se, but as my story continues you will see that we are all runners
in the journey of life. My experience at
the first marathon came with many lessons but it was the next year when I
volunteers that really made everything come together.
I arrived at the marathon’s
volunteer tent the following year ready to be the best cheer leader those
runners needed. I was pumped up and had
practiced some encouraging phrases to chant for when they ran past my water
station. Then the coordinator gave me my
assignment: the finish line. Ugh. I was not looking forward to working that
post but I didn’t have a choice. When
the marathon started I casually made my way to my post. After all, it would be a while before anyone
came by.
Just like the year before,
the first sign of runners was that group of determined people. As they got closer the coordinator yelled,
“OK volunteers! Get ready with the
medals.” Medals? I was too busy grumbling earlier when the
coordinator explained that we would be putting the medals on the runners when
they cross the finish line. The first
runner came through with the second not far behind. I put the medal on them and whispered, “Good
job”. They really didn’t notice me or
what I said to them. It seemed like they
were more concerned with the clock and how much time it took them to run the
race. More runners came through and more
medals were placed. Group one was done.
After a short break, I saw
the stampede make the turn. I could see
the look on the faces of some of the runners when they saw that they were at
the end of the race. Their faces lit up
and it was as if they had a turbo boost that made them sprint to the finish
line. I had the time of my life putting
medals on this group of people. They
embraced the finish line with a smile and a sigh of relief. It was exciting seeing this group of runners
finish a race that they were focused on finishing despite any distractions
along the way. I stepped away to grab
more medals and all I saw were high-fives all over the place. It was such a good feeling.
Now that group two was done,
I was able to catch my breath and take a break.
It was a long time before we saw another group of runners. I had forgotten who the last group consisted
of. I just kept looking at my watch
wondering why they weren’t saying that the race was over. Suddenly, a few participants turned the
corner walking. I will never forget the
expression on their faces when they realized that they were so close to the finish
line. The walking got a little faster and quickly became a jog. I didn’t know who these people were but my
heart started beating faster as I saw them coming closer. The first woman that crossed the line from
that group, dropped to her knees and started crying, “I did it. I did it”.
Tears rolling down my cheeks, I put the medal on her and whispered, “Congratulations.” She looked up to me and said, “I can’t
believe I did it!”
One by one, the runners that
crossed the finish line from the last group were full of tears, gratitude and faith.
Needless to say, it was overwhelming…in
a good way! I watched as the final runners came through
and received their medals. About a mile
back they were ready to quit. It was
just around the corner that they thought they had come so far and there was no
reward in sight. How many times have we
done the same thing? We’ve prepared and
prayed for something and we get to a point where we can’t hold on anymore and
want to give up. But how amazing is it
when the little faith that we have bring us to the end and the dream becomes a
reality?
Who do you identify with in
this story at the finish line? Are you
the person that goes through life looking for the wins without appreciating how
and who got you there? Or are you the
person at the other end who knows, without God, there is no way you could have
made it? The very last person that
crossed the finish line was a 79 year old woman. When she crossed the line she said, “I didn’t
think I could do it, but God did”. I
will never forget that moment. I was in
awe of what faith could do and the encouragement that experience gave me to keep
pressing on for my dreams. And it all
came together at the finish line.
Mending Maria
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