During my morning meditation, I thought about an an article that I wrote in June of 2010. In my life I have found the subject matter in this fable to be true for me. The fable encourages me to not compare myself with other people or to be distracted by them – as I run my race.
Here is the article:
Living with a brain injury and the Fable of the Tortoise and the Hare
Posted by Second Chance to Live on June 11, 2010
Hello and welcome back to Second Chance to Live. I am happy to see that you decided to stop by to visit with me. Thank you. Over the past several days I have been writing a series Living with a brain injury and Having Options. Last night I began thinking about the story of the Tortoise and the Hare. Although I have not finished the series, I feel led to speak to the fable of The Tortoise and the Hare.
In the fable, the tortoise challenges the hare to a race. The story goes on to share how the hare scoffs at the tortoise’s challenge. The hare, because his “superior speed” thought he would surely beat the tortoise. In the hare’s arrogance — by what he said and did – he minimized, marginalized and discounted the possibility that the tortoise could run and even win the race.
As the fable comes to a close, we find that the tortoise is actually waiting for the hare at the finish line. The line written at the base of the fable denotes the meaning of the story. Slow and steady wins the race. Although the hare was much quicker than the tortoise, because the tortoise stayed committed to running his race, the tortoise went on to finish and even win the race.
Today’s Thought
In life, you may feel like the tortoise in the fable. Like the tortoise, you may have people in your life who behave like the hare. You — like the tortoise — may find there are hares, who by what they say and do discount you are and your ability to participate in any race. You – like the tortoise – may find that there are hare (s) in your life, who by what they say and do dismiss your ability to run in, much less win your race.
Like the tortoise, you may have hares in your life — who by what they say and do — seek to discourage you from running in your race.
To that I would say. No worries. Be like the tortoise and determine to run your race. Be like the tortoise and be who you are my friend. Be like the tortoise and go about your business. Stay committed to your mission and vision. And as the tortoise found, you will finish and win your race — because you did not pay attention to what the hare (s) said or did — as you ran your race. And as you run your race, remember – Slow and steady wins the race.
“Insist on yourself, never imitate. Your own gift you can present every moment with the cumulative force of a whole life’s cultivation; but of the adopted talent of another you only have a extemporaneous half-possession…Do that which is assigned to you and you can not hope too much or dare too much.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
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