We’re dealing with two types of tired

Before the terms “social distancing”, “global pandemic”, “essential worker” and “being immunocompromised” had made their way into our conversations and vocabulary, there was another word that dominated our lives: busy! Prior to the week of March 9 in the United States, just about everytime you asked someone how they were, the word “busy” was uttered at least once. Then, it was followed up by being told that they were tired. Am I right or am I right? How do I know this? Because I was the same! For the better part of 2 years, I was running as hard as a person could. I was building a collection of hotel key cards and I was racking up miles on my car quicker than I could keep count. When I would show friends my schedule, they would just shake their head. Then, cruising along the interstate of life at perhaps an unhealthy speed, the e-brake was ripped on me – just like it was on you. Life as we knew it changed.

There are many who would make the argument that the silver lining in the midst of all that has transpired (and is still unfolding) is that this shutdown has forced us to slow down. Now, I realize that you may be reading this and were deemed an essential worker and not much slowed down for you at all (perhaps your load was increased even). However, for people like me who would never take it slow or “stop to smell the roses”, the past 3 months have been an interesting time. While the word “busy” may not be an adjective to describe my days like it did before, the word “tired” has not seemed to escape my vocabulary, as I have noticed it has plagued many that I talk with on a fairly regular basis. Many of our schedules were cleared out but we are still tired! Why? 

I believe there are two types of tired: one is a need for sleep and the other is a need for peace. In regards to the first, our sleep schedules have probably been thrown off. Badly. We know that going to bed earlier or getting in a nap could help alleviate some of that lethargy. However, the need for peace is the one that I believe is leading us to continue to feel tired despite a different pace of life. Many have said that over the past 3 months, they have not been able to break up their day. Homes have become classrooms, cafeteria, science lab, offices, and gymnasium. It’s understandable why you’re tired.

The battles that you fight in your mind; the battles you fight in your heart; and some that you don’t share with anyone and suffer in silence – it all adds to the tiredness. What is it that’s causing you to feel weary? Perhaps it’s something that you’re holding onto. I would encourage you to be strong enough to let go and wise enough to wait for what you deserve. Perhaps it is how you have been treated. Friend, people learn how to treat us based on what we accept from them. Maybe you are tired from non-stop scrolling on social media and getting into pointless arguments in the comments section. Every classroom had a kid who ate glue. That’s probably who you are arguing with online. When you get too tired, you start fighting battles that don’t matter to distract you from the ones that do.

Is anyone else besides me tired of not knowing who to believe? What to believe? Who to follow? What information to trust? Tell me I’m not the only who can get themselves worked up and then don’t feel any better after. It’s mentally and emotionally exhausting! I am learning, though, that it is not what we go through that determines where we end up – it’s who we listen to and what we guide by. Maybe we are tired because the well we’ve been drawing from when we’re weary is adding to the stress. Maybe what we are consuming is actually making us even more dehydrated.

It’s not the load that weighs us down, it’s the way that we carry it. A restless soul is one that thinks it’s in control and needs to fix everything. In the journey of life, emotions make great companions but terrible leaders. Anxiety does not come from thinking about the future but from wanting to control it and when we try to control everything, we enjoy nothing. My friend, just because you’re weary does not mean that you are weak. Get some rest.