The Race of a Lifetime

“And down the home stretch they go…” chances are, every one of us has heard this at least one point in our life. For me, its when I watched the Chuckwagon races back home. During the Chuckwagon race, the wagons get set, the starter fires the gun, “BANG” and off they go, through the barrel patterns the wagons race and out onto the dirt track. The wagons are flying around the track, trying to get out front to get the lead. And down the home stretch, they go, racing to get first place to take home the trophy.

In a way, we are like the chuckwagons. Racing to get out in front of everyone to be the best that can be. Trying to take home first place. But for us, time flies by too fast and our race will be over before we know it.

In our lives, we go through a barrel pattern just like the chuckwagons do. We go through the chaos and stress of trying not to hit a barrel so we don’t get a penalty, but in life, we have to learn how to deal with chaos and the struggles of trying not to knock over a barrel in fear of being set behind everyone else, in order to succeed. We all think that it’s a race to see who can get ahead in life that we don’t think to stop and take in the good moments that make the best memories. The moments of spending time with those we love and cherish the most.

For me, my barrel pattern happened during highschool. I couldn’t wait to graduate and go to college. I wanted to be done. But as the years passed and graduation got closer, I wanted everything to slow down. I realized I hadn’t spent as much time with my friends as I would like to have. I never took in the great moments as they were happening. The last few years of high school really hit hard for my class and I. We went through things no class should ever have to go through more times than what any 16,17, and 18-year-olds should have to. I started to spend more time with my friends and taking in the moment. I stopped rushing to get out of the barrel pattern and trying to get out ahead. I’m just racing the race at a pace that I am comfortable at.

When it’s our time to race out onto the track, we will know and we will be ready. But until then, soak up every moment of every day because, until that moment, we don’t know when it will be our time to race down the homestretch. Be the tortoise, not the hair. Take your time and cherish what you have, nothing ever lasts.

Focus on your race,

Lukas Bucknell

North Central State Vice President