Over the past months, I've had the privilege of talking to some amazing women who have been travelling for some time on the road to greatness. They sometimes do little more than put one tentative foot in front of the other, until one day they meet someone like me who asks them, "How did you get here?" It is exhilirating to have met women whose road to greatness is one on which they have stayed the course, even when they get to Mile 21.
Here's my own tale of "Mile 21":
A few years ago, I had an idea that I would walk in the Avon 2-day walk for breast cancer. This means walkers must complete a mere 26+ miles on day one and approximately 13+ miles on day 2. Well, with months of training underfoot, the overzealous me brought along my own pedometer and discovered that in the end, my 26+ miles turned out to be way over 30miles. Truth be told... nothing in my life could have prepared me for this walk, but the experience was powerful and unforgettable.
What started out as a day of anticipation would gradually lose its vim as I added on the miles. My friend who had agreed to walk with me, and I talked or kept silent... as the mood moved us. We met other walkers, survivors, family members, and people like me who just wanted to do something toward eradicating this disease, each with a story that confirmed my commitment to this walk. Along the way there were rest stops where walkers could receive nourishment or care if needed. My friend and I by-passed most of the stops... until Mile 21.
Even now I remember that rest stop. It seemed to have more hoopla and fanfare, and I recall singing cowboys and a lot of nurses. I had some refreshments and resumed the journey with some reluctance. It was at this point that I started to feel true pain. My legs were feeling like tree trunks and it was increasingly difficult to walk. I was done. Both my physical and mental resources were depleted and I knew what it must feel like to be pulling a herd of unwilling elephants. I think I tried to summon tears that would validate my pain and even those refused to form. My girlfriend was no longer even walking next to me, as I had slowed down and by this time I could no longer remember why I had decided to do this walk. Looking ahead was no longer helping.. all I saw was a trail of random walkers and no end in sight. With the knowledge that I could physically go much further overshadowing my every step, I wanted the right opportunity to stop. It was at that point that the money in my pocket reminded me that I could hail a passing taxi to finish the journey. In other words, abandon my commitment, and just take a shortcut to the end. This was indeed a most brilliant thought which I shared with my friend. She shot it down, reminding me that our commitment was to walk the entire distance. I was duty-bound to honor my commitment. But how was I to do this? It was then that I remembered, the way to walk a thousand miles... take just one step at a time.
I looked down at my feet and focused on putting one foot in front of the other. After a while, the end loomed before us.
In the road to greatness, we get to Mile 21, and will need to call upon every resource... friends, prayer, sustenance, values, inner strength, or we may even consider leaving the trail and taking a shortcut. The women that I talked with reached and journeyed past their Mile 21.
Mile 21 gives insights to the strength of our character, our mettle, and the fiber of our integrity. On the road to greatness as in the rest of life... we make a choice. Either we off the road and take a shortcut, OR... we may stay the course, keep our eyes on the prize, and continue moving with dogged determination toward a noble goal.
At this the start of a new year, after many of us have already made plans for achievements. How do you suppose you might handle Mile 21. It is a necessary part of your road to greatness.
