If you have ever run in a high school cross-country race, you have probably heard the encouraging voice of your coach yelling, “Close the gap!” Upon hearing the words,  you look up to see the appearance of a runner in the distance. My high school cross-country experience was no different, and I found myself hearing that particular phrase an odd number of times throughout the race. While I started this five-kilometer race energized and ready to run by the halfway point, I was exhausted and ready to be done. As I slowed down my pace and saw the group of runners I was in go farther and farther in the distance, I was ready to give up. But, as I was getting ready to stop running, I heard the familiar voice of my coach saying, “Close the gap, Karson, one step at a time, close the gap.” That was the motivation I needed. Although I was exhausted, I kept pushing one foot in front of the other to close the gap. I will admit, I never caught the group of runners and passed them myself, but I did get closer. What at one time during the race was a group shadow became living, breathing competitors that pushed me even further. 

Throughout our lives, we will find ourselves in moments of exhaustion, sickness, frustration, and so many other emotions. During these times we feel like we are so far behind others that we cannot keep going, that we just need to give up on the task at hand. However, no matter how far behind we might feel, we need to keep moving forward, keep putting one foot in front of the other and close the gap. When we close the gaps in our lives, the goals that once were far off in the distance become something we can feel and is the extra motivation to keep moving forward. Close your gap.