“Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another.” Walter Elliot
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. Ecclesiastes 9:11
Adventitious: “Happening or carried on according to chance rather than design or inherent nature” New Oxford American Dictionary
Wendell Scott won hundreds of races in NASCAR's low level leagues during his first years of racing. He went on to drive in NASCAR's highest level of racing and routinely finished in the top 15 in points during a season and in the top 10 at races. Despite some confusion (most think it was deliberate) he won the 1963 Speedway Park race in Jacksonville. It was the peak of his accomplishments throughout his racing career. Wendell Scott was undoubtably a talented race driver, having accomplished all he did with old, used, and inferior equipment. However, it was not the races he won or the places he finished that define his career. He became one of the most appreciated and well liked drivers in all of NASCAR, yet he was always the underdog. Wendell Scott is still the only black driver to win in NASCAR's elite series. Despite all the setbacks and disadvantages he faced in an almost completely white sport, his determination earned him what most drivers could only dream of during some of the darkest times in era segregation. It showed what character could accomplish, and through it, he won the respect and admiration of so many people for himself and for his race. He broke down the walls of segregation in many people's hearts, showing that people are valuable no matter what the color of their skin. We can all look to Wendell Scott as an example of how determination and a strong character can help anyone achieve their dreams, no matter what their challenges. While determination alone may not earn us what we desire, it eventually leads to success, if only adventitiously.
Daily Journaling Questions:
How did I help someone today?
What act of kindness did I perform today?
What did I learn today?
Who did I love today?
What about today do I want to remember forever?
What are my goals for tomorrow?
Thanks for reading.
Jake
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Daily Self Growth Journal Pt. III
Non-FictionThis is the third in a series of interactive journals designed to help people grow personally, spiritually, and possibly even professionally. There is a daily message that contains a motivational quote, a Bible verse, a vocabulary word, and a messa...
