Nothing is Impossible

A short story –

His legs ran steadily and powerfully, with good form. Under the dawn sky, still sprinkled with stars across the dark canvas, Adam ran. Full of motivation, he raced along the asphalt road at the edge of the city.

“I can do it.”

That sentence played on repeat in his mind, keeping the motivation he built from slipping even the slightest bit — his goal: to win the 5,000-meter middle-distance race in the beginner category.

Becoming a professional runner had been his dream since childhood. While other kids loved playing soccer, baseball, or basketball, Adam only ever loved running.

Born and raised in a family that struggled financially, Adam had to grow strong at an early age to face the challenges life threw at him. Perhaps that’s why he chose running — it gave him peace. Running allowed him to enjoy his surroundings without having to think about life’s hardships.

“Just a little more.”

He had been running for an hour without even realizing it. Yet his body still felt fresh, not a trace of fatigue.

“Alright, seems like I’m ready.”

The race would begin next week, in the city center — an annual event that also served as a scouting ground for coaches looking to recruit young talents into professional athletics.

Last year, Adam could only sit in the stands, his heart filled with sorrow. He had suffered an injury exactly a week before the race. But not this time. This year, Adam was full of enthusiasm and taking care of his condition meticulously.

He took a short break, sitting on a park bench and looking around, until his eyes landed on his running shoes.

It was clear those shoes had carried him through hundreds of kilometers. Faded, worn out, and the glue on the outer soles had started to peel away.

“Just hang on a bit longer, buddy. We can do this.”

He hadn’t realized those words came out of his mouth, addressed to his beloved shoes.

…

The awaited day had arrived. The sun was shining bright, and the heat made everyone squint to see comfortably.

At the center of the track, Adam stood under the scorching sun with 76 other participants, all waiting for the signal to start.

From the sidelines, a middle-aged woman in a white shirt waved her right hand and moved her lips:

“You can do this, I’m proud of you.”

“I love you.”

Adam looked at his mother and smiled, welcoming the sweet words from the woman he loved most.

“I love you, too.”

DAAART…!!

The sound of the horn signaled the start of the race. Everyone surged forward, jostling to find space. Adam was no exception.

He moved left and right, finding gaps to push forward. Luckily, his slim build helped him maneuver easily. Eventually, he found a clear path to sprint freely at the front.

With every powerful and motivated step, Adam climbed into the top ten in no time. His firm, fast, and efficient movements were the result of all his hard training.

…

“Almost there. I can see it.”

The white letters of the Finish Line sign came into view. Just a little more. Adam glanced back to check the distance between him and the next runner — about 20 meters.

“Not too close. I can win this.”

He increased his pace, raised his breathing intensity, pushing himself to run at full power and defend his lead.

From afar, his mother stood at the finish line, her face filled with joy as she cheered for him.

“Adam! You can do it!”

Adrenaline surged through his body as he saw his mother’s beaming face. But slowly, her expression changed — surprise, then fear, as if she was trying to warn him but couldn’t do anything.

Suddenly, everything turned upside down. Then black.

…

“Where am I?”

His eyes slowly opened. Several medics surrounded him as he lay on the grass. They shone a small flashlight into his eyes, checked his pulse, and examined his head. His mother stood behind them, covering her mouth, her face filled with worry.

“Are you okay, kid? Anything hurt?”

“A little dizzy, but I think I’m alright. What happened?” Adam asked, confused.

“Good. You tripped and passed out. But it looks like you’re going to be fine.”

“If anything happens, just contact us,” one of the medics said to his mother.

“Thank you,” she replied emotionally and then hugged Adam tightly.

“Thank goodness you’re okay.”

“Mom, what happened? How did I fall? What about the race?”

“Your shoe caught your foot. You lost balance and fell. The race is over, honey.”

Tears immediately welled up in his eyes. A deep sadness washed over his face, and sobs burst out as tears flowed uncontrollably.

“It was so close, Mom… so close… I could’ve made you proud… I wanted to give you something…”

She held him tightly and whispered:

“Your life is more important than anything. I believe you’ll achieve what you want, but maybe not today.”

Adam hugged his mother tightly, sobbing into her shoulder. He still couldn’t accept what had happened.

…

Unnoticed, a man in his 40s wearing a blue denim jacket had walked up beside them.

“Hey kid, are you alright?”

Adam turned toward the voice, wiping his tears.

“Who are you?”

“Oh, sorry. I’m Paul… a talent scout. I was impressed with your performance. You must’ve trained hard, huh?”

“Yeah, I guess,” Adam replied flatly.

“Well then, when you’ve recovered, come to my training center. We’ve got the facilities to shape Olympic-level athletes,” Paul said, handing him a business card.

“If you’re consistent with training, you could become something great. I really like your potential.”

Paul left them standing there, still trying to process what had just happened.

“Mom… is this real?” Adam asked in disbelief.

“I think so,” she said, holding the white business card in her hand.

His tears turned to happy ones. The dream he had long imagined was beginning to come true. A new journey was about to begin.

Nothing is impossible.

…