It is hard not to desire victory in all your endeavors when the world seems so competitive and ruthless, especially if you’re a boy growing up with those values. A boy grew up in a similar environment where winning was all that was valued, and he longed to succeed. The boy was good at running, so he called everyone in the nearby villages for a race. A large group of people from around came to see this exciting event!
The boy had been training hard for this race. He ran among the strongest boys from around the villages, and it looked like heat on a finish line, but the young boy came out victorious! The crowd went wild with delight as they cheerfully waived banners praising him. The boy loved the attention. It made him feel happy and vital.
There were several types of races, sprint, long distances, relays etc. The boy was unbeatable in all the races he competed in. The crowd loved him even more after each victory; they clapped with excitement. The boy felt very proud of his accomplishments.
But among the crowd was a wise older man who did not seem as impressed with the boy’s fleets as the rest. Just as the boy thought all the races for the day were over. The old man shouted from the crowd, “there is one more race left, the most important one.” The boy was initially surprised by the additional race, but he was confident he could win any race.
The old man brought two new competitors for the boy, a blind man and a frail old lady. “What type of race is this? I can easily win them.”, the boy exclaimed. “The most important one,” said the old man. So, the boy ran the race as he knew he would win this time too. When the boy crossed the finish line, the blind man was still at the start, and the old lady had just started to move. The boy was triumphant, and he raised his hands in ecstasy after his victory when he noticed that the crowd wasn’t cheering. To his disbelief, the crowd was very silent. No one was clapping or cheering for his win. The boy was shocked. So, he asked the old man what had happened. The old man said, “Let’s start the race again, but all three of you finish together this time.”
The boy raced again, but he helped and guided the blind man, supported the old lady, and walked along with her this time. Finally, all three crossed the finish line together. The crowd cheered and clapped, which may have been louder than any earlier. The boy was confused. Who is the crowd cheering? All three of them finished the race together. So, he asked the old man, “who is the winner of this race? Who is the crowd cheering for?”
The wise old man put his hands around the boy’s shoulders and answered, “Boy, You have won much more in this race than any other race you have ever run, and in this race, the crowd is not cheering for any winners.”
Moral:
What are you running for in your life? Do you desire success? Is victory the only dimension for you in your life? Is your action just to win over everyone?
At the end of your life, It is not whether you won the race but whom did you run next to? Were they weaker, older or disadvantaged? Did you help them to the finish line, or were you just concerned about your wins? Because life is not all about winning, it is about moving together and helping others who are less fortunate than us.
