There was a touching story in the Loveland newspaper this past week about the world's fastest man and the animal kingdom’s fastest sprinter. The picture that went with the story showed Olympic champion Usain Bolt, of Jamaica, holding a three-month old male cheetah cub in his arms in Nairobi, Kenya.
Bolt has adopted the cheetah to raise awareness about the endangered African animal. The cub, named Lightning Bolt, was shown clinging to the champion runner’s chest, in the firm but loving grip of two large human hands.
A happy smile lit the runner’s face. The cub seemed to me to be happy where he was, but understandably, slightly apprehensive as the photographers clicked away with their cameras.
I don't remember the exact quote, but in the movie "Chariots of Fire," one of the British athletes, who later went on to be a missionary in China, said something to the effect, "God made me to run." Usain Bolt is obviously born to run. And so is Lightning Bolt -- I don't know of any more beautiful sight than cheetahs racing across the African bush.
We are all born with a calling. But ultimately, it seems to me, we all have the same calling. We are here to let the truth of love, the truth of our own being find expression through us in our lives.
That is our real purpose. That is our true destiny.
Adversity, in these days particularly, is never far away from any of us. But as I was sitting at breakfast this morning, thinking of some problems, stillness came to my rescue and reminded me that there is so much more going on in the world and in each one of us than mere external events.
It happened more quickly than any cheetah could run. It happened more quickly than Usain Bolt himself could run. As I stopped eating, and let my thoughts come to rest, I became vividly aware of the presence of that timeless being that is at the core of us all.
There is wisdom here. There is courage here. There is strength here. Unaffected it is, and undisturbed by any of the outer events in our lives.
"Love never fails," it was said. Have truer words ever been spoken?
I send love and blessings to all who may read this blog. May the courage of your own true spirit give you the strength and wisdom you need to give your own unique gift to the world.
