Light for the Journey: Two Steps from the Top: You Can’t Quit Now

Have you ever walked away from a dream, only to realize later that the breakthrough you were praying for was waiting just around the corner?

“Very often, you know, you stop walking because you say, ‘Well, I’m tired of climbing this hill. I’m never going to get to the top.’ And you’re only two steps from the top.” Morgan Freeman

Reflection

We have all stood on that steep, unforgiving incline, our muscles aching and our spirits weary. In those heavy moments, the summit feels like a cruel mirage—always visible, yet perpetually out of reach. It is incredibly easy to let exhaustion rewrite our narrative, convincing us that the effort is futile and that we are destined to wander the slope forever.

But Morgan Freeman’s profound insight serves as a powerful wake-up call for the tired soul. The psychological weight of the climb often peaks right before the breakthrough. When the urge to quit is loudest, it is rarely because you are failing; it is because you are finally close enough to the top to feel the true gravity of the summit.

Your exhaustion is not a sign to stop—it is proof that you have put in the work. Trust your journey, take a deep breath, and take those next two steps.

Something to Think About:

What is one area in your life right now where you feel tempted to give up, and how would your approach change if you knew for certain you were only two steps away from the summit?

Keep A-Pluggin’ Away ~ A Poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar

Keep A-Pluggin’ Away: Perseverance’s Quiet Power


When storms rise and paths grow steep, it’s not talent or luck that carries us through—it’s steady perseverance and the will to keep moving forward.

Keep A-Pluggin’ Away

Paul Laurence Dunbar

I’VE a humble little motto
That is homely, though it’s true, —
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
It’s a thing when I’ve an object
That I always try to do, —
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
When you’ve rising storms to quell,
When opposing waters swell,
It will never fail to tell, —
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
If the hills are high before
And the paths are hard to climb,
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
And remember that successes
Come to him who bides his time, —
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
From the greatest to the least,
None are from the rule released.
Be thou toiler, poet, priest,
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
Delve away beneath the surface,
There is treasure farther down, —
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
Let the rain come down in torrents,
Let the threat’ning heavens frown,
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
When the clouds have rolled away,
There will come a brighter day
All your labor to repay, —
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
There ‘ll be lots of sneers to swallow.
There’ll be lots of pain to bear, —
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
If you’ve got your eye on heaven,
Some bright day you’ll wake up there,
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
Perseverance still is king;
Time its sure reward will bring;
Work and wait unwearying,—
Keep a-pluggin’ away.

Source

Paul Laurence Dunbar’s Keep A-Pluggin’ Away is a timeless reminder that success isn’t found in sudden bursts of luck or brilliance but in the quiet, consistent steps we take forward. Life will always bring storms, steep climbs, and moments when giving up feels easier than holding on. Yet it’s in those moments, when persistence seems hardest, that true character is formed. The poem encourages us to look beyond immediate obstacles, to trust that patience and perseverance will uncover treasures hidden beneath life’s surface. With faith, effort, and endurance, brighter days inevitably follow the clouds. Dunbar’s voice is gentle but firm: don’t stop, don’t surrender—keep a-pluggin’ away.


Questions to Dive Deeper

  1. How has perseverance in your own life led to an unexpected reward or breakthrough?
  2. What practices help you keep moving forward when you feel worn down by obstacles?
  3. Where in your life right now do you most need the reminder to “keep a-pluggin’ away”?

Today’s Thought: Don’t Stop and Don’t Turn Back

There are lots of ways to get through a day. A guy I was speaking with at the gym said some days he feels like a gerbil on a gerbil wheel. He’s going fast but getting nowhere. We both laughed. Some days it does feel like that. Some days it feels like you’re walking backward. And, there are days where everything falls into place and you’re riding high and fast. Whatever kind of day comes our way, it’s best to keep going along. If things aren’t going well keep going they can change in a flash. If you’re riding a hot streak enjoy every moment. You don’t know when you’ll get another shot. As long as we keep moving along we have a chance. As long as we keep moving along we can take a hit, shake it off, and keep on moving. Don’t stop and don’t turn back.

Photo for the Day ~ Never Quit

You have a chance

If

You don’t quit

You’re tougher than what life tosses at you

Never Give Up

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