The Impala Within Us
A friend once told me a story that still echoes in my mind. It was about impalas, breathtakingly agile creatures which can sprint up to 150 km/hr and leave even lions behind in a cloud of dust. In the wild, their speed is their salvation. When danger strikes, they explode into motion, weaving through terrain with instinctive brilliance. But here is the twist: after a while, some impalas forget why they were running, slow down and lose focus while the predator still chases them. And in that moment of distraction, they fall prey miserably.
Introspection
Doesn’t this story haunt most of us because of recurring difficulties as a consequence of losing focus? When life throws its weight at us—grief, failure, heartbreak, fear, disappointment, bad habits, misfortune, infidelity, being single, unemployment, childlessness, poverty, etc—don’t we often respond like impalas? Sprinting, rallying, praying, summoning courage we didn’t know we had, and resolving to change? But then… time passes, the urgency fades and we get comfortable and easily distracted. And then, the very challenges we thought we outran begin to catch up again, sometimes even more aggressively!
This story is not just about survival but self awareness, endurance, the emotional terrain we navigate every day, the need to stay within healthy boundaries and about why we are on this earth and life thereafter.
Reflection
Launching Fire vs. Lasting Flame
We start strong—fueled by adrenaline, hope, or desperation. But sustaining that energy is harder. How do we build emotional stamina? How do we keep showing up when the applause fades and the road gets quiet? How do we keep believing when we can’t see any results? Why keep faith with people/systems with no sense of integrity and loyalty?
The Noise That Pulls Us Away
Distractions aren’t just external—they can be internal too. Doubt, comparison, fatigue, complacency, excuses, lack of accountability, etc. Isn’t it about time we constantly paused to find out if we are still on course and refocus (if need be)? What about reinforcing our values, rituals, and boundaries to protect our focus?
Success’s Silent Trap
Temporary wins can lull us into a false sense of security. We stop checking the rear-view mirror and stop preparing. How do we stay humble and alert—even when things seem to be going well? Don’t we know that the life by which great people reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight but consistent toiling upwards all the time.
The Gift Hidden in Failure
Setbacks sting but they also speak. Do we listen or we just rush past the lesson? What would it look like to treat every failure as a teacher, not a punishment?
Purpose as a Compass
When the sprint ends and the silence returns, what keeps us moving? What truth do we return to when everything else feels uncertain? Purpose isn’t just a goal—it’s a lifeline and must be pursued.
Serenity Prayer
May the image of the impala remind us that swiftness alone cannot carry us through life’s trials.
May we walk with self-awareness, steady in purpose, and unwavering in focus.
May resilience and consistency be our rhythm, even when the path grows uncertain.
And above all, may we never forget the reason we began this journey—
keeping eternity gently in our gaze, like a distant horizon that calls us home.
Amen.
Amen