Every year thousands of young athletes from all over the world gather for the Special Olympics. The fanfare, the celebrities, the music, the excitement are nearly as grand as the regular Olympics. These athletes know what it means to give their best. They have trained for months and for years and want to win.
Several years ago, five handicapped finalists gathered at the starting line. Their hearts were pounding. Each wanted to win. The starter’s gun discharged and the athletes exploded from their crouched positions and began running as fast as they could go. Everyone in the crowd was on his feet shouting and cheering.
Suddenly one of the runners stumbled and fell flat on his face. He struggled but couldn’t seem to get up. A moan and then a hush fell over the crowd. In the next moment, another child stopped running, reached down and helped the fallen child back up. The two of them finished the race together.