R
rheanna
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Every race tells a story.
Image by the author
As I was scrolling through my gallery the other day, I came across a video Iβd taken of the 100m race from the 2024 Olympics. Thatβs when a peculiar thought struck me.
The various phases we go through in life mirror track and field events in so many different ways, if you think about it.
Take the sprints for example, the 100m or 200m. Short and explosive, the races which are completed seconds after the bang of the starter pistol is heard. They resemble lifeβs quick and fleeting moments, the ones that are over before you know it. That one unforgettable day with your friends where you laughed till your sides hurt, that indelible family vacation you had years ago, the play you acted in with your peers back in school, that one perfect afternoon on a random day, theyβre full of exhilaration, freedom and happiness at its peak!
Events like the high jump and the long jump are similar to taking a leap of faith, donβt you think? Do you remember being skeptical about that one thing, but ending up going for it anyway, ripping off the band-aid? It might have gone well, or maybe it didnβt, but either way, you gave it a shot.
Needless to say, not every part of life is short lived. Taking the middle distance sprints - the 800m, 1500m or the 3000m, theyβre the days βin betweenβ. Nothing changes, nothing conventionally exciting takes place, you sit with your thoughts, and some days really test your endurance, your patience. But these are the days that build you as a person, and like always, you keep going.
Then come the long distance races, the marathons, which symbolize the intense and grueling stages of life, where there seems to be no end. Life seems to be a monotonous cycle of reliving the same day over and over again. The days go by in a dull haze, filled to the brim with dread, worry, unpleasant feelings, and a longing for the period to come to an end.
With each day, every lap of the race will get a little easier. Theyβll build you steadily and emotionally, even if the progress is unnoticeable in the moment.
Many other events come to mind, like the relay, the throws, and even tug of war. However, Iβll leave them to you, the reader, to think about what they might symbolize in your life.
Itβs important to keep reminding yourself that these are your events, and that youβre going to cross the finish line knowing you gave it your all.
So tell me, which event are you currently in the middle of?
Life is a track and field meet was originally published in Long. Sweet. Valuable. on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
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