Yesterday, I posted about my awesome weekend with my friend Kate in Tulsa.  While watching her complete her marathon, I saw this guy not too far in front of her.

One of the interesting things with supporting a person in a marathon is that you begin to see the same people at each step and honestly as anyone is completing a race like this, they don’t care who it comes from….encouragement is encouragement.  So, you find yourself cheering for anyone as they come by.

But, as I watched this guy at each stop, I found a completly pure and organic metaphor for where I am in life.

The moment pictured above was the first time I saw him and while you may not be able to tell by the picture, he was pushing himself up an on-ramp.  Of course, there was more going against him hindering him and making his climb harder.  That’s the funny thing about gravity and climbing uphill.  Its going to be hard no matter what. 

I couldnt help but think about the week I had last week as I watched him roll his wheelchair up this hill.  It was inspirational if for no other reason than I could see myself in that chair. 

With every turn of the wheels, he grimiced.  When he turned a corner and saw the hill was still going, he drew in a deep breath and made one more turn of the wheel.  And, he kept doing that for 26.2 miles.

One turn of the wheel.

And then another.

And then another.

Corner after corner.

Turn after turn.

I’m so grateful that I captured this moment.  It is a visual I know I will need to revisit over the coming months.  Everyday is a turn of the wheel.  Much about the days before it will compel those days like the weight of gravity pulling against progress, but I just have to turn the wheel.  There will be marks along the way that designate progress and there will be moments that propel like the wind at your back. 

This man has inspired me…even more so knowing this is not his first race to complete. 

I know I can do it.  I know I can “compete” in the race in front of me.  Winning is finishing.  Accomplishment is determination. 

Charting the course is turning the wheel.