We trade 8 hours a day to truly live for maybe 4.
We hustle for 6 days just to catch our breath on 1.
We rush through meals, racing the clock, swallowing food in minutes we spent hours earning.
We fight to fall asleep, only to rise before rest truly finds us.
We labor for years, saving for a vacation that barely lasts two weeks.
We chase success, promotions, and possessions—only to retire when our knees are weak and time is thin.
Then one day, we pause… and realize most of our life was spent preparing to live.
Truth is, we’ve become experts at survival—
But amateurs at joy.
We wear invisible chains built from routine, expectations, and obligations… so tightly we forget we’re even bound.
But life? Life isn’t a race to the end.
It’s the moments in between—the laughter, the stillness, the people, the breath.
So take the trip. Say the words. Watch the sunrise. Hug a little longer. Smile for no reason.
Life is a short ride. Don’t just exist—live.
The Routine We Call Life
The Bamboo and the Fern
Once upon a time, a farmer planted two seeds side by side: a bamboo seed and a fern seed. He watered both every day, eager to see them grow.
Within just a few weeks, the fern sprouted from the ground and quickly grew into a lush, green plant. However, the bamboo showed no signs of life. The farmer didn’t give up. Day after day, he continued to water both the fern and the bamboo.
As time passed, the fern flourished, but still, there was no sign of the bamboo. A full year passed—then two, three, and even four years—and still, nothing. The farmer grew discouraged, thinking that maybe the bamboo seed was a failure. But he kept watering it anyway.
Then, in the fifth year, something amazing happened. The bamboo finally sprouted—but not just a tiny shoot. Within weeks, the bamboo shot up to a height of over 90 feet!
It turned out that, all those years, the bamboo wasn’t failing. It was growing underground, building a strong root system to support the incredible height it would soon reach. Without that solid foundation, it would have never been able to grow so tall and withstand the winds.
The Lesson
Like the bamboo, sometimes in life, progress isn’t visible right away. You might feel like you’re watering a dream, a goal, or even yourself, but seeing no results. But that doesn’t mean you’re failing. You’re building your roots—developing strength, resilience, and character for the amazing growth that’s coming.
When life feels tough, trust the process. You never know when that breakthrough moment will come—but when it does, it’ll be worth all the waiting and effort. Great things take time.
