Crossing the Finish Line

I had just started making my supper when an idea for my next blog began to surface and before I knew it, my supper sat on the counter as I grabbed pen and paper and started writing. The words, the thoughts, the ideas flowed and I have long since learnt to just follow them, and make sense of everything later.

My son was on a touch football team and they had just qualified for the divisional finals. I had attended every game I could over the past year in order to cheer them on and show my support. And now the team members asked me to come to the next day’s finals but unfortunately, I had another commitment. Luckily, I soon realized both locations were fairly close together, so I could be there part way through the first quarter.

When I arrived the next morning, I received a chorus of thumbs up, high fives and yeah you made it. The commitment to be there was worth it and showed me how important it is for all of us to be supported. Throughout the game, both teams put forth an excellent effort, but in the end, my son’s team was victorious and became the Divisional Champs. I was honoured to take their team photo as they gathered around the cup in celebration.

Later that day, my mind went over some of the team plays from the past year and I remembered the most unusual touchdown I have ever seen. During one of the regular season games, my son who was the quarterback, had been ready to pass the ball, and not seeing anyone open, he chose to run with it. The opposing team chased him, forcing him closer and closer to the sidelines. When he was just a few feet away they assumed he would continue and step out of bounds, so they stopped chasing, turned, and walked away. And as they did, my son came to an abrupt halt inches from the sideline, stood on his toes and side stepped the last few yards down the field to his goal – the end zone – and scored a touchdown. It was the cheering that caused the opposing team to turn around and realize what had happened.

In football, as in the game of life, you keep moving forward toward your goals stepping around and through all the obstacles in your way, ideally never deviating from your path. Along the journey others are waiting to tear you down with their words and their actions. Eventually they get tired of laughing at or criticizing you, so they walk away, fully believing you are following a foolish dream. And it is then, by continuing to follow your passion, your dream, that you cross your own finish line, to success.

Great men in history, like Henry Ford and Thomas Edison were scorned and laughed at and yet, when the others went home at the end of the workday, they stayed, for hours. They had a dream, one they believed in so fully that they side stepped as far as they needed to, until they crossed their own finish line … of success.