The Hamster Wheel
When will it stop…
Hamster’s aren’t really my thing, but after an exceptionally good, rewarding but long week recently, it gave me reason to pause as I remembered a time when I encountered one…
Long week, end of the day and weekend approaching… time for a cup of vintage Puerh… setting down near the fire pit, putting up my feet, I reflected on this encounter, as I sipped the hearty brew…
Having some time to kill several years ago, I wandered into a pet store to browse, and maybe learn something from the critters…
A friend had once told me when in nature watch and listen to it… when there is need for caution nature will let you know… birds will stop singing, small animals will pause or run for cover, some will start getting abnormally excited…
Pausing, I was amused as this hamster ran on his wheel, running with seemingly reckless abandon… at first it was impressive, but I then began to notice something… as my friend would say, something was off…
He wasn’t just taking a leisurely jog on the wheel… he was sprinting, and the look in his eyes were one of terror… a few moments later he collapsed, and ejected from the wheel…
I watched for a few minutes to make sure he was okay, slowly he stirred, lifting his head and as if in a drunken stupor, and stumbled back to his nest…
Curious as to why he ran so recklessly, that he nearly died, I turned around, coming face to muzzle with a Great Dane… who whimsically was observing me and had been watching the terrified hamster…
moving back just in time, I missed the friendly greeting the Dane had for me… sweet boy, hope he wasn’t offended…
The fire was mesmerizing, as I took another sip, recalling this incident… smiling reflectively, I couldn’t help but think about how our lives generally are a lot like that…
We find ourselves running, as the activities, trials and everyday rhythm’s of life come…Instead of slowing we run faster, thinking we’ll get to that later, or maybe it will just go away… we’re sprinting now… stopping is nearly impossible… until it’s not…
Exhausted, stressed and out of breath we collapse… not necessarily because we want to, but in ignoring the signs our bodies have been trying to show us, it begins to run low on the reserve fuel, begins to sputter, stalls and finally collapses… literally…
“The fool, with all his other faults, has this also, he is always getting ready to live." Seneca
Every week in the course of my days, people who have encountered medical emergencies, are brought to us… for many of them, their lives will never be the same… courageously they continue…
We live a life of “Just one more” one more meeting, hour, project, tournament, movie, video, drink, smoke, phone call, text… the list could go on…
Finally our bodies, despite begging for us to slow down, rest, and recharge.. shut down… in one way or another… whether mentally, physically or ultimately in death we do finally stop…
I am reminded of this every day, and I am grateful for it… I attempt to learn from it in my own life…
Given that there will always be more work than hours in a day, I leave work as soon as my work is done…
Breaks are graciously provided, so I try to take the time given to sip on a cup of tea… reflect on “the Spiritual Food”consumed in the morning…
I attempt to find ways to leave the phone behind and/or turn it off more frequently… when I take walks, when I go to bed… (ever unintentionally left your phone home and upon discovering you didn’t have it, almost panic…?)
Easily distracted, I’ve intentionally made a point to stop mindlessly scrolling in general, especially late into the evening…
Just as well, sleep being so important for our mind and body, I’ve been intentional about going to bed earlier and arising shortly before sunrise… I rarely need the alarm clock…
Though it has been a process over the years, recognizing my need for daily time in Gods Word, I sincerely look forward to reading it every morning… it truly is an anchor for my day and life…
It is different for everyone, and for everyone it’s not easy… most of what brings value in life, requires faithfulness and hard work…
What is it for you…?
Canceling a meeting to attend your child’s event.
Putting aside your want to, to attend to theirs.
Dusting off that Bible after the kids are in bed… daily…
Saying no to your plans to help another in need.
Slow down long enough to recognize the reason for the interruptions to “your” plans… are His…
I don’t know about you, but as a Christ follower there is one more part of this whole thought that I think about the most… eternity… sincerely…
I find myself thinking, Is all of my busyness necessary?… do I recklessly pursue the temporary, in exchange for the eternal reward…?
If so, like the hamster, what are we afraid of… what are we running from… for myself, a few years ago, I found myself running from the silence… crazy thought?… maybe…
I appreciate silence, so why run from it… as I considered the very question… I realized it wasn’t the silence, but in the silence, facing myself, the voices and the regrets… depressing… yes and no… but the truth…
Like the hamster I “ran” with reckless abandon… working, volunteering, and anything really that would keep me from… the silence and being alone with my thoughts… of which I couldn’t totally avoid…
finally reaching a point of mental and physical exhaustion… as if on autopilot, I moved through the days without much thought… broken, having reached bottom, I looked up from the pit, and back to my Father… He was waiting… with love and grace…
So he rose up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
— Luke 15:20-21
Moment by moment, I began to embrace the silence, and today I crave it… so much so, I must be careful to create balance…
What do you find yourself running from…
Will you slow down soon enough, to stop, step off, and find the balance you desire… Or like myself will you keep running to exhaustion, and collapse possibly to the point of no return…
Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.
— James 4:14
The things of this world are temporary, both the good and bad… sooner than you can imagine they will pass away…in death, eternity is forever… we only get one shot… examine Jesus claims… and choose wisely…
Despite all the finger pointing and opinions, you will only be judged in eternity for you… no one else…
So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.
— Romans 14:12
Until He comes my friends,
Raj