It's a race between unequal partners. That's how the story goes ... with many variations.
Rabbit races off ... confidently ... with a little spunk in his stride ... winning.
I get that ... been in a hurry-to-get-there, doing-something-if-it's-wrong since I was 19 ... rushing out to take on the world
Mary Tyler Moore-style.
For the most part it's worked for me .. very, very well. Not much I would change if given the chance.
And the turtle sets off ... at his own pace ... unhurried ... enjoying every bit of the journey ... all the way to the finish line.
Deliberate ... determined ... focused. I pack those traits as well.
Carrying along with me the things I value most ... fun-loving, adventure-seeking, always moving ... that's been my life for as far back as I can remember. Tucking myself in ... shutting the world out ... as the mood strikes ... safe inside my shell ... no one gets to touch me there.
Is it possible to be the tortoise ... AND ... the hare?!? I wonder.
Back to the race ... according to tradition ... it's brains against brawn. In at least one version, the race is won by trickery ... with the turtle piggybacking on the rabbit ... jumping off at the finish line to claim the race.
To be honest, I have never actually heard the story told that way. And I don't much like it. Probably because I play by the rules and think winning should be based on intention, integrity and effort. You see, my dad taught me to always respect a worthy opponent.
I much prefer the Lord Dunsany interpretation. He says the hare realizes the stupidity of
the challenge ... and simply chooses not to proceed any further. So the obstinate tortoise wins the race and is declared the "swiftest" by all of the onlookers.
I don't do stupid well. So that makes perfect sense to me. And it certainly goes along with my philosophy that everyone gets to choose ... and all choices have consequences.
Intelligent, strategic & challenge driven ... forfeiting the popular prize for something of greater value ... self-respect & integrity ... it's an idea I can embrace. Of course, I am known for my obstinate nature as well. Persistent perseverance ... finish what I start ... and all that stuff.
Again, I wonder ... about the tortoise ... and the hare.
In my mental cartoon race .. the hare gives the tortoise a head start ... cuz it's only fair somehow. And then he races off. Throughout the event, the hare circles back to check on the tortoise's progress ... finding each time that a measurable amount of ground has been covered.
Racing around in circles ... losing sight of the finish line ... expending energy in unnecessary activities ... putting on a show for the onlookers ...
Three steps forward ... that's the turtle's pace ... and two steps back goes the rabbit ... all in all, it's still forward progress.
From the sidelines it appears that the tortoise doesn't stand a chance. All of the attention is on the hare ... he's doing the dance ... working the crowd ...
Exhausted from the rushing about, he decides to take a nap. That way he will be rested & refreshed as he eases across the line for the win. So he looks around for a cozy spot.
Sometime later, he awakens to find that while he was sleeping ... dreaming about the victory ... the turtle outwitted ... outplayed ... outlasted him.
In my telling of the story, I imagine the rabbit snuggling up inside that cozy shell ... with the turtle. And they make the journey together. The perfect combination of energy & enthusiasm ... perseverance & focus.
And at the finish line ... the hare steps back ... giving the turtle the win .. this time. And next time, the tortoise pauses just long enough for the rabbit to stretch out of the shell ... and claim the prize.
The race always goes to the swift ... and on any given day ... it could be the tortoise ...or it could be the hare.
It's turtle season now. I see them crossing the road pretty much everywhere I go. My turtle sighting was out-of-season. In the last year or so, since my encounter with the confident turtle in a friend's yard, I have discovered that there's quite a bit of spunk in the tortoise's pace. It's hidden swagger ... a little harder to spot ...
My turtle was there on that path ... waiting on me ...challenging me to take a chance ... to stick my neck out ... of the shell ... to offer a glimpse of the me on the inside ...
And my rabbit ... the one that lives in my yard ... he's waiting on me, too. He's not in a hurry ... about anything either. He frolics ... loiters in the yard ... deliberately pausing ... making eye contact ... as if to say, "Come on, MJ! It's time to get off the sidelines ... and into the race!"
www.lifelessons-mj.blogspot.com
(c) May 2012
Never a tie. Somebody has to lose.
ReplyDeleteThat's where you are wrong. In my fable ... the tortoise and the hare ... take turns winning. On any given day ... the victory could belong to either of them. It's exactly the same in life. Winning isn't the most important thing ... it's the running of the race.
ReplyDelete