What age are you? What have you endured? Heartbreak? Loss? Trauma? Have you ever convinced yourself that you were less capable, less worthy, or somehow not enough?
Here’s the truth: you are enough.
Too often, we measure ourselves against someone else’s highlight reel. Social media, for example, gives us carefully curated snapshots—Instagram smiles, Facebook “greatest hits.” It’s a lot like a rock band reuniting after years apart (yes, Oasis, I’m looking at you—my age and taste in music won’t let me deny it). They don’t play their rough demos, their missed notes, or their forgotten lyrics. They showcase only their best. And so does most of social media.
But life doesn’t work that way. As the title reminds us, life is a marathon—not a sprint. You don’t prepare for 26 miles the same way you prepare for 100 meters. To finish well, you need rest, discipline, training, perseverance, and above all, patience.
Many of us expect every stage of life to be a lightning-fast sprint, measuring ourselves against Usain Bolt standards. But if we don’t seem to progress at that speed, we get discouraged, frustrated, even disillusioned.
Let me encourage you. I began running about four years ago, and truthfully, I’ve had more “off times” than “on times.” The race you see pictured here was just two miles, and I walked half of it. But I showed up. I moved forward.
In education, I began my journey in my mid-40s. Just months ago, I graduated with highest honors—a result that shocked even me. It wasn’t speed that got me there; it was persistence. Step after step. Day after day.
So hear this: you are enough. You may not have the same wealth as others. You may not share the same skillset. But every single one of us has the power to hustle, to keep going, to put our best foot forward.
Our true measure isn’t in someone else’s highlight reel—it’s in our labor, our effort, and the strength of our spirit.
Life is not won in the first 100 meters. It’s finished in the faithfulness of the long run.
TMDPB - The Modern Day Parables Blog 