Did you see the girls in the image above?

They are a set of lovely twins, 13-year-old Chloe and Claire, 8th graders who participated in an 800-metre dash at Trento, Illinois (US) a couple of years ago.

That's Claire backing Chloe to the finish line when Chloe had tumbled halfway into the race. She did stop in her track to help her sister who had sustained an injury! At this point, she realised something more important than coming 1st in a race.

It is getting to the finish line, and helping others get there too.

I wondered where she got the strength to carry her sister, but in her words, the standing ovation and clapping by the crowd encouraged her. The emotion was written on all their faces. Clearly, they didn't win the race but they won the hearts of many and sent a clear message to the world. Today the world talks about them and not the person who won that race.

Friends, that's life!

Truth be told, you are not in a competition with anyone, except the one you set for yourself. Many are so engrossed in wanting to come first and be ahead of others that they don't even see others around them who have been injured, tumbled, and can no longer "run", whose only desire is not to win, but just to get to the finish line.

Our finish lines are different, just like our starting lines. We came differently to this world so we can get to our finish lines as we run our individual races, not to come first or beat somebody to it.

So let's not be blinded by ambitions and other issues in our lives. Look around you and help someone. What someone else needs is just a small capital to start a business, a smile, a word of encouragement, tolerance or empathy and the person can stand up again and run his/her own race to the finish line.

"...don't be weary of doing good..."

Bottom line, run your own race, don't compete, focus on your finish line but don't forget to help someone else.

You will get there.

Have a great week!