It’s a battle not a race
Look at us, running around,
Always rushed, always late.
Guess that’s why they call it the human race.
-The Switch-
Just another ending line of a typical cheesy romance drama. A light show that accompany me working through the night. As the movie ended, my work for the day finished, labtop shut down, snacks packed, and all the other stuffs tidied up, I was ready to sleep when this lines keep running in my head.
In indonesian language, the word ‘ras' only represent kind of ethnic group. But in english, just like the movie said, “race” also mean a competition. And like it or not, we are living like that, at least I know I do. Try to finish all things as fast as possible, try to compete with others, be better, looking for fast track, do multitask. Just keep running forward, follow the track in front of me, try my best not to look back. Once an obstacle comes, I complained as it slow down my pace to the finish line. Always wondering if I will loose because I know some people arround me can run faster or have less obstacles.
Then I remembered earlier that day I was chatting with 1 of my very close friend. She mentioned that everyone have their own cross to carry, and we laughed at our problems that somehow so similar. After that conversation I actually felt really good, to have someone who fight the same struggle, who actually understand.
The more I think about it (somehow my brain decided to be really active passed midnight) I think life is more like a battle than a race. I might never be in or see a real battle, I even rarely engaged in any fight in general, but between having childhood filled with hundreds episodes of chinese imperial fight and having brother plus best friends who loves games with battle theme, I think I have quite a big picture about it (and a lot of drama also).
In a race everyone faced with the same challange, same goal, same distance to run. But in a battle, everyone have different responsibility based on their overall skill.
In a race there is no level, the faster you run, the faster you will finish, the responsibility and challange will be constant, except you just get more tired overtime. In a battle there is hierarchy, the better you are in a challanges, more responsibility will be added, it will get harder yet more rewarding.
In a race, everyone fight for them self, as I mentioned before, try to be in front of everyone else in order to finish first. In a battle you need team! People with different set of skills are needed in order to finish strong. Even in one division there are more then 1 person needed, some are carrying the same weapon and they can teach each other how to use it wisely and understand each other pain.
There is no clear finish line in a battle, and it is almost impossible to keep the eyes on the price, but the aim is clear though. In a battle we can’t just rushes in the end, it’s either do our best everyday or die.
I learned that in a battlefield it’s not as simple as about who is the strongest, the fastest, or the smartest. It’s about who can wisely use the weapon entrusted to them, combine it with their own skill, and how they built a good communication with the team.
And most importantly, in a battle there’s always a leader, or a King to look up to. The one who understand the situation and always have a strategy, a way out. Even if it includes a pull back first or fighting in the dark.
We are living in a battlefield called life.
We need to understand our strength, and the strength of people that the King choose to be part of our team.
There are times we need to slow down, look arround and try to understand what’s going on.
At times we need to look back at our previous lost to be better.
Obstacle can be a milestone.
Each of us carrying different weapon, or cross as my friend said it, and non is easier than other even when it seems so. All based on that person capasity.
And at times when we are stuck we can always look up to the Great King and just trust in Him, even when the plans sounds illogical for us.. It definitely the best
We can’t treat life like a race, though it is waaaay easier to look it that way. We can’t just run and run, and we definitely can’t face it alone. It’s not about being better than others, but about together turning something bitter into something better.
