Like a Moth

Now that the oppressive heat has finally broken in the South, the AC is off and the windows are wide open. We are fortunate to live in a home with plenty of windows that backs onto a wooded area that is infused with the sounds of nature. We are unfortunate that this same house is a rental with missing and torn screens that allow the nature to come right in and make itself at home.

While I was waiting for the coffee to percolate yesterday morning, I noticed a huge (and beautifully-patterned) moth beating furtively against the wall behind the sink. It had been drawn to the light above that we leave on at night. The moth appeared exhausted; its energy stores had been depleted in its fruitless endeavor to reach the light. If it continued along this path, it would surely perish. Meanwhile, an open (and screenless!) window lay mere feet away, entirely unnoticed by the fatigued moth. I used a cup to gently scoop up the insect and I released it into the crisp morning air just outside the window where it could chase the emerging sun rather than the false call of the flourescent bulb.

We often act like moths, drawn to false promises that dazzle us with overwhelming light rather than waiting for the real thing. Once we are hypnotized by that which draws us, we can easily get lost. Stuck. Beating ourselves against a wall that will not yield. Sometimes, we need the perspective of another to scoop us up and release us into the open window that we cannot see.

In my life, work is my false light. It pulls me and consumes me. It leads me to believe that satisfaction and contentment can be found through accomplishment. However, it is never done. I am lucky to have people around me that will point me towards the open window and the rest of the world that exists outside my office. Being aware of the false light that pulls me has helped me avoid its call, yet I still need a helping hand to scoop me up at times.

I just hope they don’t throw me out the kitchen window 🙂

What is the false light light that draws you?