We run and run and run and run.  Always running.  Always trying to stay in the lead, stay on top of things.  Hurdling deadlines and budgets, navigating the labyrinthine schedules of work and family, prioritizing what comes next.

Is it time for a hard and fast sprint through the next project or is it time to slalom the gauntlet of emails, phone calls and bills?

It doesn’t matter, you’re winning.

And then you trip.

You fall behind.

You get up but everything seems so far out of reach, like you could never catch back up.  You’re not used to being behind and it makes you nervous.  You fall again.  And again.  And again. Everything blurs.

And then you give up.

Things go sailing past at breakneck speed.  Deadlines come and go.  Bills pile up.  Your nice, neat and orderly life falls apart.  And you no longer look ahead because you’re looking down.

And your feet are still carrying you.

When you finally look up, things look different.  You’re moving slower now.  The race is no longer important.  Instead of looking straight ahead, you look around and see things you’ve never seen before.  Your family smiles and waves to you from the sidelines.  This time you see them and wave back.

You look ahead again and things look different.  You’ve always seen the race as the leader.  Now you’re in the back and you can see which way to go.  The path that’s easier, the path you should be on but couldn’t see until now.  There it is.  Go.

It’s okay to fall behind.