Going the Distance

By Dr James Dobson

When I was in university, I ran a long distance race I will never forget. I did not win it, but I did learn a valuable lesson about myself, and about marriage.

Although I had not trained properly, I bounded onto the track full of energy and optimism.

At the sound of the starting gun, I tore off as fast as I could and left the pack far behind.

By the second lap, however, my side was splitting and the pack was closing in on me. Somewhere near the halfway mark, I was sucking air frantically and my chest was heaving like a great grey whale.

I soon collapsed on the infield grass in a sweating heap of failure, losing the race and my pride in one great disaster.

Marathons are very different from sprints, and you have to learn to pace yourself if you're going to endure to the finish line.

And isn't that true of married life, too? You have to set a pace that you can maintain through all the ups and downs of everyday living, and make up your mind to let nothing knock you off the track.

It's called lifelong marriage, and it sure beats an early collapse on the infield grass.

From TODAY, Voices – Tuesday, 10-Nov-2009