Stick-to-itiveness is not the most eloquent of English words. But it sure is an important one. Sure there are others words that mean the same thing; persistence and perseverance come immediately to mind. Regardless of what word you use; can you look back on the past month, the past year or even the past decade and say that you really did what it took despite the obstacles that were thrown in your path?

I'm reminded of the story of John Stephen Akhwari of Tanzania in the 1968 Olympics. He started the 26.2 marathon course with all the other runners, but he finished it all alone. With only a handful of spectators left in the stadium, John crossed the finish line, bandaged and bloodied, long after the winner broke the finish line tape. A reporter asked Akhwari why he didn't quit. To which he answered, "My country did not send me to Mexico City to start the race. They sent me here to finish.”

Akhwari's story is poignant because we've all been there. We've all been battered and beaten; often knowing that we've lost the race of the day. But we also realize that if we keep going, we will be able to run the race better and stronger the next time. The key is learning and growing from the experience and actually reveling in it.

Stories like Akhwari's are compelling because they provide real-life examples of man conquering his obstacles. In fact, authors and screenwriters understand the power of creating a story line where the hero has to deal with seemingly insurmountable odds. The more the character has been beaten down, the more we cheer his success in the end. Hollywood has made a fortune on the triumph of the underdog.

Yet, in real life, we usually don't have the same vantage point. We're not able to see the whole story unfold; we're not able to see the ending. We often just see the obstacles and the failures. Instead of being celebrated for pushing on, we're often second-guessed or made to feel unworthy when we stumble.

In his book, A Long Obedience In The Same Direction, Eugene Peterson states it well. "We live in a time when everyone's goal is to be perpetually healthy and constantly happy. If any of us

fails to live up to the standards that are advertised as normative, we are labeled as a problem to be solved, and a host of well-intentioned people rush to try out various cures on us.”

We've become a culture seeking immediate gratification and happiness. Often, we're judged as a winner or loser before we've finished our race. Everyone loves the winner, few befriend the loser. Peterson also quotes Ivan Illich who said, "You know, there is an American myth that denies suffering and the sense of pain. It acts as if they should not be, and hence it devalues the experience of suffering. But this myth denies our encounter with reality.”

And the reality is usually that the goals that will stretch and inspire us will come with a price. The price is that it won't always be easy; important things rarely are. The price is that we may slip and fall along the way. We may become battered and bruised. But will we get up, dust ourselves off and keep going when no one is cheering us on? Will we persevere when others are labeling us a failure and moving on without us, because they don't know the ending to our story? Will we keep going when the ending is no longer clear to us?

Like the marathon runner, we make choices every day. Do we finish the race? Do we gut it out when no one is cheering us on? Or do we give up, stop or move on to something less difficult? Do we have stick-to-itiveness?

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