I was once running a road race in Houghton, Michigan. The race course ran up and down the many hills of that college town. Motivated by the enthusiasm of the starting-line, I had taken off at a fast pace for me. However, this quick start developed into a mid-race crash. I was hitting the wall at full speed. I slowed and then completely stopped. A young ROTC Michigan Tech student ran up to me and said, “Hey buddy, I am not going to win this race either. Let’s run this race together.” Encouraged by this unexpected gift of conversation and friendship, I began to run again! Two strangers ran across a finish line in the Upper Peninsula holding hands raised in victory.
Years later, I was running a Saint Patrick’s Day race in Traverse City. I was holding my usual spot near the back of the pack. I saw a runner stop running and nearly quit the race all together. So I ran up to him and said, “I am not going to win this race today, let’s run together.” He responded with a big, “Thanks!” and joined me in our 5K run.
After introductions and some chitchat about the freezing weather and gale-force winds that we were running in together, he said, “I don’t know why I am telling you this, but I am from Connecticut. I came to Traverse City to stay at my daughter’s house because I couldn’t bear to be in my own home. My wife just died a month ago.”
I came out to run, but there was a higher calling waiting for me.
I told him that he was talking to the right guy and that I was a pastor who did direct pastoral care. He began to pour out his hurting soul. I learned that he had been the prime caregiver for his wife during her long fight against cancer. She had gone under Hospice care and he had been at her side until she gently died. After her death, his home felt big, cold and lonely. So he ran off to Traverse City to escape the pain, but even there his sorrow was waiting for him. Then he signed up for the race in hope of escaping the intense grief.
We talked about the many aspects of grief, which soon became a mobile grief-counseling session. As we turned the final corner toward North Peak Brewing Company, we both burst into a finish line dash. I beat him! Then he turned to me with tears in his eyes and hugged me. He stated that “God had been with him today.”
I came out to run, but there was a higher calling waiting for me.
Always look for the higher calling in the midst of whatever you are doing.
