How Many Finish Lines?

At this time of the year, I hear the thought “finish strong” a lot.  I understand this thought, I feel like I’ve been taught how to finish strong, but my question is where is the finish line? Maybe, which finish line do I finish strong on? Before, finishing strong means giving all that you have left to cross the finish line. But now, I feel like there are many finish lines in a short amount of time that I’m not sure which one to give my final kick for.

There’s a finish line with my teaching. I’m teaching my last lesson this week, I’ll review next week. Give my finals the next two weeks, then have a wrap up week. So is this my final kick for my classes? Or is it in the review week? Or in my grading during the finals? Yes.

There’s a finish line with my team in another month. I am blessed that 5 or 6 of them will be coming back next year to the same school and another one nearby at another school. My closest teammate is staying back in the states to probably attend a seminary so I want to finish strong and make the most out of that opportunity. As you’ve read, my team leader has been diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma. He got to come back on Friday night and is leaving tomorrow morning (Tuesday) to go back to the states for treatment. I want to finish strong here and give my final push with him too. This finish line is much closer. How can I continue running hard and still give my all and finish strong with my team leader and friend?

I leave my school on June 18th, but I leave China on June 21th – two more finish lines.  I think I think of finishing strong as in the idea of giving up my own food, sleep, and all my energy to make the most of the last few minutes/hours/days. I feel like daily I cross finish lines, but there are a lot of monumental ones left before me, before us. Ultimately, this is just one year too. This isn’t the end for me or for them. They will continue, I will continue, our relationship, hopefully will continue too.

Now, I’m just looking at the race that’s set before me and trying to finish strong. But now now, I’m going to take a nap because I may want to finish with Dave strong, but I need to survive to teach class in the afternoon and the rest of the week after he leaves. Nap time.

Attempting to finish strong… at every finish line.