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The Silent Race or Rat race (Author unknown) - Our choice

OR  

A story I came across 
This morning, while out jogging, I noticed someone about half a kilometer ahead. He seemed to be running just a little slower than me, and I felt a quiet satisfaction. “I'll try to catch up with him,” I told myself.

So I picked up my pace. Block by block, I was gaining on him. Soon, I was just 100 ft behind.I pushed harder, focused, determined. And finally - I passed him. Inwardly, I felt good. I had won.

But, he didn’t even know I was racing with him.

And that’s when it hit me.
I had been so focused on beating someone else, that I missed 
- my own turn home
- the stillness of the morning
- the lush greenery whispering wisdom
- the opportunity for inner stillness
- my morning soul-searching
- my micro-meditation.
In my needless rush, I even stumbled a few times - close to hurting myself.

And I wondered:
Isn’t this exactly what happens in our life at times?
—---—---—---—---—---—---—---—---—---—---
Reflection: 
We compete silently—with co-workers, neighbors, friends, family - trying to outdo, outshine, outrun. In the process, we lose sight of our own journey. We exhaust ourselves chasing someone else’s pace, forgetting our own rhythm, our own peace.

The truth is— There will always be someone ahead - A better job. A nicer car. A more “perfect” life. But here’s the gentle truth I realized this morning:

You can be the best version of you when you stop racing against others.

Sometimes, the real win is not in passing someone, but in pausing, breathing, and remembering the beauty of your own path.
—---—---—---—---—---—---—---—---—---—---
My Feedback 
After reading this, I recalled a quote: “A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms.” - Zen Shin

A Haiku 
A lone flower blooms—
It does not watch the others,
Still, it shines in full.
River doesn’t race,
It flows past rocks, calm and sure—
Stillness finds its way.
Breeze whispers gently,
No need to outrun the wind—
Present in its path.
Chasing silent steps—
I missed the bloom on my path,
Racing none but me.

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