finding finish
September 29, 2014 § 5 Comments
Yesterday my daughter participated in her first 5k. The day began with a celebratory spirit and heightened anticipation, friends fell in and out of animated conversations as the crowd waited eagerly on the cusp of a fluid, infectious energy.
As a family we cheered from the sidewalks of our neighborhood, marking our daughter’s path as she wound her way through Sunday morning sunshine. When at last she rounded the corner to our home in the final lap, she tossed herself heavily onto our driveway and planted her hands and feet flat against the familiar surface. Red faced and aching, she listed the tender places of her body ready to remove herself from the day’s event.
It was a moment so familiar to the experience of mothering; reaching for a child mindful of a fall, eyes and heart spotting dangers they cannot see as they leap. To let my daughter walk away from finishing would undermine her beginning, leaving too much room for remorse and messages of inability. Instead I reached out for a hand that accepted my own and we walked toward the end together.
To my daughter,
Your distance was shy of finishing, but I was measuring a different span; the space between giving up and persisting. Beginning something new is as important as finding your way to finishing something difficult. Soon the sore muscles will subside, but you will remember the sense of accomplishment that comes from completing a commitment. Each ending builds courage for our next beginning.
Love you.
Mom
scribblechic 
A first 5k? And she’s still a child? Good for her! And what better way to support her effort than by helping her finish? Good for you.
This was an elementary school fundraiser, so the event had a very diverse population of participants. It was such a joy to watch families and neighbors, children and adults celebrate the day.
You are a wise woman Marie. I am sure your children will learn from your insights.
Wise only insofar as I error often enough to learn from my mistakes.
That’s how we learn life’s lessons.