I recently came across an article that mentioned Usain Bolt — the fastest man the world has ever seen — now feels breathless while climbing stairs. Reading that struck me. It reminded me how quickly we shift our attention from what a person has achieved to what they can no longer do.
Not long ago, Usain Bolt was the fastest man on Earth. His name itself carried a charge of electricity — a symbol of speed, power, and joy. He didn’t just win races; he redefined them. The moment the gun went off, the world held its breath, and in less than ten seconds, history was written again.
Why Do We Focus on the “Now”?
We humans have a strange obsession with the present. The fastest man alive slows down? That becomes the headline. A star actor grows old? We notice the wrinkles, not the performances that moved generations. A captain retires? We critique their silence rather than honor the storms they once weathered.
This mindset comes from a human flaw: we measure worth in current utility, forgetting that legacies aren’t built in the present alone — they are carried from the moments before.
What Bolt Teaches Us
Bolt’s story is not about stairs. It’s about the track. It’s about eight Olympic gold medals. It’s about the joy he spread worldwide — the image of him striking the “lightning bolt” pose after another world record, with a smile that reminded us sport could be fun as well as fierce.
He doesn’t need to prove himself anymore. His records are written not just in numbers but in the collective memory of humanity. His greatness doesn’t diminish because he slows down. Even the strongest, the fastest, and the most invincible will eventually meet the ordinary challenges of life.
The Bigger Lesson
This isn’t just about Usain Bolt. It’s about how we look at people in our own lives.
- Do we only remember our parents for the things they can’t do anymore, or do we reflect on the sacrifices that shaped our lives?
- Do we dismiss colleagues who retire, or do we appreciate the years of effort that paved the way for others?
- Do we look at aging captains and ask, “Why don’t they inspire like before?” instead of remembering the fire they once carried that changed the sport?
Greatness is not erased by time but is etched deeper by it.
The Moral
The truth is: every one of us will eventually slow down. Our strength will fade, our pace will falter, our voices may soften. But what we leave behind — our contributions, our love, our moments of brilliance — that’s what truly matters.
Usain Bolt may take longer to climb stairs today. But when he once took to the track, he showed the world what human possibility looks like at its fastest. And that is something no passage of time can take away.
Celebrate the lightning, not the limitation.
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