Mark was known for being driven.
He achieved success, they said, because of his drive. Where others would slack, Mark would not give an inch. It helped for his push to be the best at the 100m.
At the school level, it only took a teacher questioning whether he had what it took to beat bigger and seemingly fitter students to fire Mark. He took it as an insult. He took it as a comment that said he just wasn’t good enough and that was enough for him to become laser-focused on the diet, discipline and dedication he felt he needed to prove that teacher wrong.
This came from his background in a poverty where his parents could barely make ends meet. He saw his parents overlooked and neglected. This was tough for Mark and his brother, Ryan. The teacher’s comments just made Mark feel as though it was another slap to him and his family. And he was not going to take it anymore. Hours of training as much studying techniques and strategies of the greats as applying himself to the strict physical and mental regimen he knew would be necessary.
That teacher was shown in no uncertain terms the foolishness of his throwaway comment as Mark proceeded to win all of the race meets he entered against athletes who were bigger than him. He caught the attention of coaches looking for the next big thing and eventually he ended up with one of the country’s best coaches. Mark did not take it for granted, but kept that hunger and drive going as he moved into higher levels of competition.
Ryan, meanwhile, opted to find out more about why life was the way it was. This led him down a path of exploring lifestyles and philosophies. Nothing seemed to fit for him and every time he tried something, it left him feeling empty.
What kept Mark hungry and driven, meanwhile was the look of some of his competitors. They had the look of those who reflected the sentiments of that teacher. It burned in Mark’s chest. That burning sensation is what gave him that edge over his competitors. To maintain that, he didn’t feel he needed to be acquainted with any of his competitors. At best he had a cordial rapport with some. Others saw it as him being aloof and even considered him to be arrogant. A thought that he found highly ironic considering it was the superior attitude of others that led him to this point in the first place.
All this angst and animosity just drove him further. He would show them – he would show the world that he was not to be dismissed. He would not be looked down on.
It gave him the edge. It allowed him to win against all odds. Winning became something that reinforced the hunger and desire. He needed to win. He needed to show them. It was him against them. It drove him to run even if he had slight niggles.
It was Ryan’s friend, Jenny, that invited him to a barbecue arranged by a local church. There he got talking to one of the men who attended the church who encouraged him to question why he felt so empty and could he really fill that by pursuing one lifestyle after another. It left Ryan perplexed and intrigued to go back and find out more about what it was that gave this group of people such a sense of peace in their problems.
As he found out more and asked tough questions of them, it got him looking at his own issues in a different light. It’s not that everything made sense to him about what this church were talking about in terms of who Jesus was. It was more a sense that they evidently knew something that he wanted to know for himself, even with the questions. especially if it would give him peace. Especially if it would stop the sense of emptiness inside …
Mark appeared to have a charmed career, because he won races and picked up medals, major sponsorship deals, fame and even winning over the critics.
Until the injury.
It was a freak accident. It wasn’t even on the track. It kept him off the track for over 18 months. When he returned, no matter how hard he tried, he just could recapture that winning factor. He looked a shadow of his former self.
The murmurs started again. Maybe he wasn’t good enough anymore. Maybe his time had come and gone.
Mark could not live with hearing these voices. Yet for all his drive and determination, he could not give them the reaction he was used to giving them. Some looked at him even with pity as he appeared to be trying to hard.
It was Ryan that stood by him as he went through the frustration and pain. And through it all Mark noticed something very different about his brother. Whenever Mark ranted and raved, his brother didn’t cower like he used to. He would patiently listen to him and afterwards would come up with a word of wisdom that took the heat out of the situation. There was a nagging question that Mark grappled with that ryan kept asing,
Who was he competing against? What would winning look like now?
…
(Photo by Braden Collum on Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 