In The Course Of The Race

There is a sophomore at my school who drag races and holds a track record at two different race tracks.  This student is rather quiet, almost shy.  Always smiles.  This student is also a girl, named Carly.  Honestly, when I found out, I was shocked.  I had never, not in a million years, pictured her as a drag racer, and not because “she’s a girl.”  Only because she just didn’t “seem to be the type” whatever “the type” seems to be.  She told me she loves it and finds it exciting and can’t wait to get out there this summer once again.

 

In 2012, we had a senior, Devin, who was a speed skater, and he was good enough to compete in South Korea.  I have a picture of him on my file cabinet.  I’ve had other kids at different schools who raced Moto Cross and dirt bikes, and some were more successful than others.  But they competed and raced just the same, like Carly, because they love it and find it exciting.

 

I never really cared for NASCAR or motor racing in general, I guess mainly because I didn’t have any contact with it.  My dad wasn’t interested in it, and neither were my brothers or sisters.  But that being said, I am curious enough to check out how Matt Kenseth did after each race because he’s from my home state of Wisconsin.

 

The interesting thing to me . . . the really fascinating thing to me . . . is that these men and women travel at such a high rate of speed . . . seemingly fearlessly.  And they do this in such close proximity to each other.  Side by side.  Bumper to bumper.  Fighting to take a lead into and out of turns.  Strategically taking a pit stop for more fuel or a tire change.  As I said, interesting and fascinating.

 

In The Course Of The Race there just might be an accident.  A wreck.  Sometimes just one car, sometimes several cars.  It might be caused by a slight turn of the wheel at the wrong time.  It might be caused by another driver.  In any case, a wreck occurs.

 

Happens in life, too. 

 

In The Course Of The Race of life, we might be sailing along at top speed, circling the track, braking a bit into a curve and speeding up out of the turn.  We dodge that person, those people, pass them and on we go.

 

And then just as suddenly, In The Course Of The Race, there is a wreck.  Sometimes the wreck is caused by someone else and we get caught up in it.  Other times, we cause the wreck ourselves.  And sometimes, God forbid, we cause others to crash along with us.

 

Sometimes, In The Course Of The Race, we veer off course.  Sometimes, we fail to take the pit stop when we should have taken it.  Sometimes we’re so blinded in the pursuit, the goal, in winning, in seeking the checkered flag that perhaps we aren’t as cautious as we should have been . . . should be.

 

In The Course Of The Race, sometimes we’re so intent on our own lives, our own goal, that without thinking, we run others into the wall, cause them to crash, or we burn up our own engines to the point where we have to fall out of the race and can’t compete. 

 

And sometimes In The Course Of The Race, we cause others to fall out of the race so they can’t compete.  Sometimes we place ourselves in this position, and sometimes through no fault of our own, we find ourselves in this position because of someone else’s lack of thought, carelessness, and ruthlessness.

 

The words “cut throat” “ruthless” “in it for themselves” “without a thought for others” come to mind and can be applied to us.  Sometimes we’re not even aware of our actions.

 

Perhaps it’s important to remember to take a pit stop every so often.  Change our tires.  Fill ourselves up with fuel.  Listen to our Crew Chief.  Get some direction.  And make sure there is enough rest and relaxation in between the races to be effective.  Then we can head back out onto the track and continue with the race.  Something to think about . . .

 

Live Your Life, and Make A Difference!