Taking Care of the Candle that is You

“Burning the candle at both ends” vividly captures the portrait of the day-to-day mêlée most of us call life. Our tasks, responsibilities, and obligations seem endless. Far too often we slog through our day like a “dead man walking” escorted by the tormenting twins of busyness and weariness. Hollow and unfulfilled, most of us don’t even recognize the twists and the turns in this dead-end trip until we’ve already arrived at its destination—exhaustion.

Like candles we were created to be light. Light displaces darkness. Darkness cannot quench the light regardless of how small the luminous glow may be. The only way darkness can claim victory is if the light is extinguished from lack of fuel. An empty tank, whether it’s our soul or our sports car, is the handiwork of neglect.

A candle is nothing more than a wick wrapped in wax. They work in partnership to sustain light once the candle is lighted. They are useless alone on their own, but together they produce an energy that sustains light. Candles are designed to burn slowly, but if you light both ends at the same time, it will rapidly burn out in half the time or twice as fast, whichever you prefer. We are not candles!

I know, I know. I can hear your excuses of why it’s that way and why you must continue your frenetic pace. But really—how’s that working for you? Are you creating a masterpiece or churning out the same old tired stuff. Do you embrace Monday like a lover, or long for Friday like a punch-drunk boxer yearning for the bell? Here’s a fact: we were designed to operate by our Creator at a high level of efficiency, creativity, and longevity. We were not designed to burn up or out.

Exhaustion stunts our efficiency, saps our creativity, and greatly diminishes our longevity. In other words, our wax melts into the carpet, our wick turns to ash, and our flame is extinguished leaving our spirit, soul, and body stranded on the shoulder of life’s highway. When—not if—that happens, deadlines, appointments, conferences, blogs, book tours, posts, tweets, meetings, and all those “essential” endeavors and endless activities become the dirt that will bury us.

If you don’t care for your soul—no one else will! Perhaps you don’t have the time or the money to take a vacation to some exotic spot, but you can trim the wick or replenish your fuel supply. Here a few suggestions:

• Disconnect from your mobile device, leave it in the house or office and take a 15 minute walk outside.
• Power down your computer, turn off the lights, lean back in your chair and close your eyes. A short nap never hurt anyone.
• Find a quiet place and have a conversation (talk and then listen, or better yet, simply listen) with God.
• Exercise regularly and eat healthy.
• Breathe deeply and dream a few minutes every day.
• Go for a ride in the countryside (get off the interstate and travel the backroads).
• Crank up your imagination and release the playful kid trapped inside of you!

Exhaustion is a choice; it’s not mandatory! Take care of your candle and its light will guide you where busyness is afraid to go.