You are not behind as you have feared, my precious one. You are not the horse at the end of the race, last to cross the finish line. You are not one who holds back because of fear. Nor do you lag behind because of training. This is not your strategy.

You are one who early in life learned to not follow the herd. You learned to not buy into what others were selling; yet you gave the appearance that you bought it all. Your performance was great. You soon convinced even yourself. Yes, there was a time when even you thought you were part of the pack, going along with the herd. Uneasy. Never quite fitting in, yet not pulling away. At your core, you kept a reserve – a space for truth. You kept a space for truth to find you.

Now is that time. Now is the time to come out from among the pack. Lean in deep. Lean in assured and pull to the front, for the race is yours to win. The prize is yours. It’s not the prize that man gives, but the greater prize. The prize is knowing that you are able, you are capable. You have correctly divided the truth from the lie. That is your prize. That is your victory. That is your reality and your greatest freedom.

adapted from Joy Unfolding: Messages for the Guarded Heart