For many years I was a track athlete. I loved to run and sometimes still do. Track for me was much like life. It was about racing- except on the track I ran relatively short distances and life is a really long drawn marathon with all sorts of obstacles.

We all run the race at our own pace. Birth is the starting point for us all and death the finish line.

That race is our own unique life and is always pre-destined, but the way in which we run that race and the time in which it takes us to complete it, is completely up to us. With God given free-will, we can choose to either take the direct route which might be rugged and steep or we can choose to take the scenic route with more paved roads and manicured edges.

Everyday we make choices as to how we are going to run, some days we prefer more adventurous routes and other days, we prefer more of a leisurely stroll. The choice as to how and when you are going to run is always yours, but one thing is for sure, you must always complete the marathon in this lifetime. Your goal is to reach the finish line. How you do that is completely up to you.

Every path we take represents a challenge and every challenge has a lesson for us.The challenges make us stronger and they bring us to the higher-highs.  I hope for all of us life is worth the struggles, challenges and lessons.

If you want to get to the front, you have to run with dedication, purpose and will to overcome obstacles. No one is going to offer you an air-conditioned walk-alator to take you to you to your destination. After all, running is all part of the experience.

It is not as enjoyable if you’re chauffeur driven there. The run, as hard as it is will tell you so much about yourself and what you are made of. When the going gets tough, do you persevere and push on or do you retract in a fit of tears and give up? In life, no one is going to carry you all the time. In fact often and sometimes in the worst possible times you will find yourself alone. Lately I find myself more and more alone. I find that no one understands me and the struggles I face, most days even I don’t understand me. On these days I slow the pace down and catch myself.

After all, you have your entire life time to reach the finish line. You can take any pathway you choose or you may charter your own paths. The run is what life is all about. Push past the challenges and struggles and take your time to enjoy the views. ,Standing in the present and looking ahead sometimes, makes little to no sense, but I hope that one day when the end is in sight I look back and everything falls into place and everything makes sense.

Its hard, but don’t give up. Just two more days till Friday :S