Run Your Race Baby...
Posted on November 18, 2010 with 1 comment
Timely. That's how I would describe Secretariat as it relates to my own life. What a piece of art. Thank you Disney for contributing to hope in this ever changing cycle we call.. life.
Busy peeling back the layers of my own mask lately, this movie hit a genuine and deep nerve inside of me. I managed to keep it all together until one moment in the story when Lucien, the flamboyantly, rejected, burned out, yet curiously capable horse trainer takes all the clippings from races he has lost and throws them into a cup and sets them ablaze. The camera pans to one title that reads... Lucien, loses again"...he has managed to keep the headline of every race he LOST. Interesting. Moving past his bitterness and rejection, he seized the opportunity and just went for it. And won. He ran his race. And in that moment, I ran with him. Tears sprung from my eyes as I thought of all the clippings from my own life I could and should burn. I was instantly empowered to light the damn things on fire and run my own race.
For those that have not seen this film, it's hard to write what I want to here and not give some pretty key factors away, so if you intend on seeing it, you should exit this blog NOW.
As for Secretariat, this magnificent creation as swift as moving sands... he moved my heart beyond the complacency and fear of "what if". This beast of passion, speed, and heart did what he was born to do... run. Not only does he break his own mold at story's end, he kills it, nails it, sets his world on fire without a care in the world.
It ocurred to me during our post flick discussion, that this horse not only had the "makings" of a winner, but he had people that believed in him.
Those that took time to train him, help him grow, encourage him with discipline and love. They cared for him and gave him every opportunity to run his race and in the end, run away with a title like never before.
I couldn't help but think of how many people, champions, are sitting in the field of life starving. Parched in spirit and heart because no one ever told them they could do it. No one ever held their hand in the muck and mire of their life and said, "it's okay baby... let's pick up right here and try again" or " get your ass back on the track, we got work to do because you were born to do it"...
As a parent, I have always known one of my important "jobs" in her life is to set the standard for her, her hope, her inspiration and belief in herself and others. In our home, that begins with God because I simply can't do it all and putting her trust in others is not wise. However, we have been blessed with a circle of people that cheer for her, show up to every race and win or lose, encourage, inspire, instruct her to continue on. I am reminded of those in my life that have done the same. But for those of us that got the cheering section later in life, sometimes it's hard to get back on that track.
We should never doubt the power we have to teach one another, share, inspire, encourage... you just don't know whose race you are influencing in doing so. As I take the clippings from my life that read.. "Monica loses again" and shoving them into a cup to set ablaze, I'm looking forward to stepping on the track of life with a hopeful expectation that the latter will be greater than the former.
Run your race baby...
Busy peeling back the layers of my own mask lately, this movie hit a genuine and deep nerve inside of me. I managed to keep it all together until one moment in the story when Lucien, the flamboyantly, rejected, burned out, yet curiously capable horse trainer takes all the clippings from races he has lost and throws them into a cup and sets them ablaze. The camera pans to one title that reads... Lucien, loses again"...he has managed to keep the headline of every race he LOST. Interesting. Moving past his bitterness and rejection, he seized the opportunity and just went for it. And won. He ran his race. And in that moment, I ran with him. Tears sprung from my eyes as I thought of all the clippings from my own life I could and should burn. I was instantly empowered to light the damn things on fire and run my own race.
For those that have not seen this film, it's hard to write what I want to here and not give some pretty key factors away, so if you intend on seeing it, you should exit this blog NOW.
As for Secretariat, this magnificent creation as swift as moving sands... he moved my heart beyond the complacency and fear of "what if". This beast of passion, speed, and heart did what he was born to do... run. Not only does he break his own mold at story's end, he kills it, nails it, sets his world on fire without a care in the world.
It ocurred to me during our post flick discussion, that this horse not only had the "makings" of a winner, but he had people that believed in him.
Those that took time to train him, help him grow, encourage him with discipline and love. They cared for him and gave him every opportunity to run his race and in the end, run away with a title like never before.
I couldn't help but think of how many people, champions, are sitting in the field of life starving. Parched in spirit and heart because no one ever told them they could do it. No one ever held their hand in the muck and mire of their life and said, "it's okay baby... let's pick up right here and try again" or " get your ass back on the track, we got work to do because you were born to do it"...
As a parent, I have always known one of my important "jobs" in her life is to set the standard for her, her hope, her inspiration and belief in herself and others. In our home, that begins with God because I simply can't do it all and putting her trust in others is not wise. However, we have been blessed with a circle of people that cheer for her, show up to every race and win or lose, encourage, inspire, instruct her to continue on. I am reminded of those in my life that have done the same. But for those of us that got the cheering section later in life, sometimes it's hard to get back on that track.
We should never doubt the power we have to teach one another, share, inspire, encourage... you just don't know whose race you are influencing in doing so. As I take the clippings from my life that read.. "Monica loses again" and shoving them into a cup to set ablaze, I'm looking forward to stepping on the track of life with a hopeful expectation that the latter will be greater than the former.
Run your race baby...