Leader Of The Pack

Ever watch the Tour de France bicycle race on television? The lead pack of cyclists are always tightly bunched together with one cyclist out front. Why do they do this? Because the cyclists that follow the leader have a much easier race. The leader breaks the wind resistance, and the following cyclists can pedal more efficiently. Without this drafting technique, the Tour de France bicyclists would never have those spectacular finishing times. They'd never have enough energy to make it to the end of the race.
     In life, many men follow the same strategy. They follow the leader, and they miss out on an exciting life. You know the type. They stay within the safe shelter of their buddy cliques. They never become leaders in their own lives. A sad example are the men that never break out of the same high school crowd, years after graduation. Staying way back to avoid risk or criticism is not being a man now.
     In fact, it's dangerous to follow the leader at all times. Inevitably life changes, and the buddy clique is threatened. The leader gets married or moves away. Somebody gets a job in another city. Another joins the Army, etc. Suddenly, with no practice leading, the man who stayed with the pack is trapped and in serious trouble. He has no practice in pursuing the unknown.
     The lesson of the Tour de France is worth mentioning again. Staying back in the pack is no guarantee of safety. Better to be the leader of the pack.