Page 38 - Publishing Inspiration Christmas Card 2015

I couldn’t go on. Instead, I turned and

headed back down the way I came, with the

teenagers I passed laughing and joking that I
was mixed up. When I reached Beth, I lifted

her onto my shoulders and turned back to the

race. By this time all of the teenagers had
ascended the hill and there was no hope of

winning. So, with Beth holding tightly around

my neck, I picked up the other two small
children who were struggling their way toward

the hill, tucked one under each arm, and raced
much more slowly to the top.

By the time I reached the ridge, the first

teenagers were crossing the finish line. I raced
across the hill, and by the time I turned to

descend, the last of the older children were

finishing the race.
With the three children I was carrying

urging me on with their laughter and cheers, I
continued until, exhausted, I crossed the finish

line in last place. The little children hugged me

and laughed as everyone patted them on the
back for running so fast. When I set the last

child down and turned around, there stood

almost everyone who was at the picnic. At the

35