The Slow Leak

Coffee with Grim

Life has a funny way of teaching us lessons… if we’re paying attention.

The other evening, I was sitting on the back porch enjoying a cigar. The sun was beginning to dip below the trees, and for the first time all day, everything was quiet.

As I watched the smoke drift into the evening air, I remembered something I once read about ships (I know what you’re thinking. Yes, my brain is weird like that).

Ships don’t usually disappear beneath the waves because of one giant hole. More often, they sink because of a leak that went unnoticed for too long. A little water gets in… then a little more… until one day there’s simply too much to overcome.

It made me wonder if people aren’t a lot like that.

We rarely wake up one morning completely burned out.

It usually starts much smaller.

A skipped meal because we’re too busy.

Another night of too little sleep.

The workout we will “make up tomorrow.”

The phone call we keep meaning to return.

The hobby we used to love but no longer make time for.

The quiet voice inside that says, “I’m fine.”

None of those things seem serious on their own.

Neither does a slow leak.

That’s what makes them dangerous.

By the time we realize we’re exhausted… disconnected… running on empty…

We’ve often been taking on water for a long time.

The good news is this:

Small leaks don’t usually require dramatic repairs.

They just require attention.

Go to bed a little earlier. Take the walk. Drink the water. Call your friend. Read a chapter of a book. Sit quietly for a few minutes.

The little things we neglect are often the same little things that begin putting us back together.

We spend so much of our lives trying to prove how much we can carry that we forget the goal was never to carry everything.

It was to stay afloat.

So, before I finish this cup of coffee, let me leave you with one question…

What small leak have you been ignoring that deserves your attention today?

Until next time… keep paying attention.

— Grim

Responses

  1.  Avatar

    We tend to pay attention when something big happens, but it’s those small things we keep ignoring that slowly wear us down. The reminder that taking care of ourselves doesn’t always require some huge life change—sometimes it’s just noticing the leak and doing something about it before we start taking on too much water. Great message.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Grim Avatar

      Exactly. We’re usually pretty good at noticing the big holes. It’s the small leaks that get us because we convince ourselves they’re not worth our attention. Sometimes taking care of ourselves really is as simple as paying attention a little sooner. Appreciate you taking the time to read and share your thoughts. ☕

      Like

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