The Race

So I haven't contributed for a while and for this I appologize. I was going through some boxes that we've had stored away and found some stories that I loved on my mission. I thought I'd share one of them with you.

The Race

"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 headIn front of failure's face,My downward fall is broken byThe memory of a race.
And hope refills my weakened willAs I recall that scene,For just the thought of that short raceRejuvenates my being.
A child's race, young boys, young menHow I remember well,Excitement sure! But also fear.It wasn't hard to tell.
They all lined up so full of hopeEach thought to win the race,Or tie for 1st or if not thatAt least take 2nd place.
And fathers watched from off the sidesEach cheering for his son,And each boy hoped to show his DadThat he would be the one.
The whistle blew and off they wentYoung hearts and hopes afireTo win to be the hero thereWas each young boys desire.
And one boy in particularWhose Dad was in the crowdWas running near the lead and thought,"My Dad will be so proud!"
But as he speeded down the fieldAcross a shallow dip,The little boy who thought to winLost his step and slipped.
Trying hard to catch himselfHis hands flew out to braceAnd mid the laughter of the crowdHe fell flat on his face.
So down he fell and with him hopeHe couldn't win it now...Embarrassed, sad he only wishedTo disappear somehow.
But as he fell his Dad stood upAnd showed his anxious faceWhich to the boy so clearly said:"Get up and win the race!"
He quickly rose, no damage done,Behind a bit, that's allAnd ran with all his mind and mightTo make up for his fall.
So anxious to restore himselfTo catch up and to win.His mind went faster than his legsHe slipped and fell again.
He wished that he had quit beforeWith only one disgrace,"I'm hopeless as a runner now.I shouldn't try to race."
But in the laughing crowd he searchedAnd found his Father's face,That steady look that said again,"Get up and win the race!"
So up he jumped to try againTen yards behind the last,"If I'm going to gain those yards," he thought"I've got to move real fast!"
Exerting everything he hadHe regained eight or ten,But trying so hard to catch the leadHe slipped and fell again!

Defeat! He lay there silentlyA tear dropped from his eye."There's no sense running anymoreThree strikes; I'm out; why try!"

The will to rise had disappearedAll 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 DadWho 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 thisTo rise each time you fall."
So up he rose to run once moreAnd with a new commit,He resolved that win or loseAt least he wouldn't quit.
So far behind the others nowThe most he'd ever been,Still he gave it all he hadAnd ran as though to win.
Three times he'd fallen stumblingThree times he rose again,Too far behind to hope to winHe still ran to the end.
They cheered the winning runnerAs he crossed the line 1st place,Head high, and proud and happyNo falling, no disgrace.
But when the fallen youngsterCrossed the line last place,The crowd gave him the greater cheerFor finishing the race.
And even though he came in lastWith head bowed low, unproud,You would have thought he'd won the raceTo listen to the crowd.
And to his Dad he sadly said,"I didn't do so well,""To me you won!" his Father said"You rose each time you fell."

And now when things seem dark and hardAnd difficult to face,The memory of that little boyHelps me in my race.

For all of life is like that raceWith ups and downs and all,And all you have to do to winIs rise each time you fall.

"Quit, Give up, You're beaten."They still shout in my face,But another voice within me says,"Get up and win the race."
by Dee Groberg