Keep Going

"If you hear the dogs, keep going. 

If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. 

If there's shouting after you, keep going. 

Don't ever stop. Keep going. 

If you want a taste of freedom, keep going."

~ Harriet Tubman

I saw this quote from Harriet Tubman and it spoke to me. So often we feel something pulling at our heart, something that calls to us and makes us yearn for more. There must be more to life than this so we set our feet upon a path, with hope and determination. 

We set out with a dream, a hope, a plan. We have the best of intentions. Yet, a little at a time we lose our impetuous. We get sidetracked. We lose steam. 

We hear the dogs, the nagging voices in our head that say we aren't good enough, strong enough, smart enough. The barking of the dogs drowns out the dream.  We tell ourselves that it's okay to fail.

We see the torches in the woods, all the various distractions that pull at our focus. There is work and kids, chores to be done. We volunteer our time, cook and clean and do laundry. We turn on the tv, pick up a book, scroll through the Facebook news feed. Instead of keeping our eye on the prize we look away and slowly we lose hope.

And then the shouting after you - if you can manage to stay the course the shouting starts. You had a dream, you set a goal, you made a plan. But not everyone is on board with that plan. There are others that try to pull you back, keep things the same.  Don't rock the boat. It's safer, easier this way. The more you change the more you make those around you uncomfortable. Slowly the plan crumbles.

I can't imagine the courage it took the slaves to flee to safety. They stepped out into the unknown. They trusted that the right people would be there to help them at exactly the right time. I'm sure many of them didn't make it.

But the stakes were high. Failing meant being beaten, branded or even killed. I'm sure some slaves decided that it was safer to maintain the status quo. Just as many of us hear the call and decide that it is safer and easier to let sleeping dogs lie.

Would you turn you back on your dreams if it meant death? Would you let you hopes fade if to fail meant to be branded for life?  Do you have the courage and the strength to push past all the obstacles? Will you return in shame? Or will you keep going?

And if you fail will you keep that hope burning in your heart so you can try again and again?

Every day we all face fear and insecurity. Every day there are setbacks. Over and over we fall and we fail, we hurt and we cry. Then we get back up.

For those who set out on the path, for those who keep going, for those who persevere the rewards are great. So as Harriet Tubman said "Keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going."

When the road is long and rough, keep going. 

When it's dark and you're scared, keep going. 

When people you love reach for you to hold you back, shrug off their hands and keep going. 

The only thing that can keep you from your truth is you. Keep going. 

You got this.