Staying in Your Lane

In a world littered with carbon copies, it has never been more important for us to stay in our lanes, as we run the race of life - the race set before us. The race is not a competition but a solo run where we race against time staying within our lane.

Nothing intrigues me more than meeting someone in an unusual profession or who has a unique career or hobby. It is refreshing when we choose not to be facsimiles or reflections of someone else's choices.

Our lane is the path that we were born to follow, the route along which we will accomplish feats that may escape the attention of the media but not the eye of God. From the moment we are born, we are on a journey of self discovery because it is only in discovering ourselves that we can truly add value to the world around us.

God created us for a reason in a particular season, and on purpose for a purpose. Those who are determined, discover their purpose in life early, others for various reasons discover theirs late in life, but the saddest group are those who never discover theirs before they are laid to rest. Last week Captain Sir Thomas Moore fondly referred to as "Captain Tom" was laid to rest. He had lived a fairly obscure life, away from the limelight, until the Coronavirus brought him into our lives courtesy of the media.

Aiming to raise a £1000 in aid of NHS Charities Together, at the age of 99, he began to walk one hundred lengths of his garden with the aid of a walker. By his 100th birthday, he had raised over £30m as the public rallied behind him. His feat attracted many accolades and garnered him recognition but that was not his objective.

He only desired to add value. the simplicity of his gesture and the uniqueness of his approach resonated. This was no gimmick but an act of kindness - an act of love. He was not a carbon copy but an original. The world needs more originals doing extraordinary things, motivated by love - people who run their own race, in their own lanes, propelled not by the desire for fame and fortune but to add value.