Hamster Wheel

You place your feet at the starting line, eager and driven by an overwhelming desire to win the first round. You run, competing with those around you, seeing nothing but that final point at which your victory is announced. You forget that this does not mean the journey has ended; on the contrary, it signifies that you have only just begun. Such is modern life: filled with achievements that are realized only at a rapid pace, robbing you of much joy, and sometimes even compromising your health and your ability to be present with those closest to you. Today came a reminder, or perhaps a call to remember, that life should be lived slowly, and that this is an art mastered by few who aspire to shine and achieve rapid success. Living slowly does not mean halting or delaying the pursuit of goals; rather, it means reflecting on the path, the companions, and the competitors; reexamining your purpose and scrutinizing your intentions. It means pausing occasionally to contemplate yourself and the stage you are currently in, achieving your aims with enjoyment, and savoring the journey and its curves and lessons, emerging with a collection of memories that will comfort you when you conclude this journey, and with relationships that do not leave you feeling that you have finished alone. As one post put it: “Get off the hamster wheel and walk on your own two feet.” Reflect for a moment… Do not let the spinning of that wheel distract you or cause you to forget the true meaning of life. That running must be a means to reach something; therefore, step away from the wheel, so that you may arrive calm and surrounded by the treasures that will remain with you for the rest of your life.