Riding along in my automobile… with no particular place to go. Classic lyrics from the late Charles Edward Anderson Berry were melodic in my head as we passed a car on the roadside with its hood up. This prompted a conversation with cannoli number one and two (terms of affection for my oldest two daughters). We were riding along in my automobile, heading to the New England Equine Veterinarian. More on that over another cup.
Especially for number two, age seven, the concept of an engine situated in the cavity just beyond the dashboard, underneath the hood, was crazy and foreign. Thus began my #dadsplaining about energy being created to rotate the wheels on my truck by way of induction and combustion blah blah pistons blah blah crankshaft blah blah niner blah blah. Their eyes began to glaze over. Did I hear a “niner” in there? I quickly shifted gears so as to not induce comas.
“Take our bodies,” I pivoted. “We all have little engines inside that power us from when we rise to bedtime.” I then equated food and water to fuel and oil, providing the necessary energy and hydration for us to keep moving all day. “And if we don’t rest, we exhaust ourselves and sometimes fall asleep in the back seat or on the couch.” Lightbulb!
Smash cut to a Halsey song on Spotify, signaling the end of class.
Admittedly, my mental and physical check engine lights have gone on a few times. Perhaps even recently (see: birth of our fifth daughter). High performers routinely run on E across a string of late nights and early mornings to get deliverables off to clients. Deadlines mysteriously compound for entrepreneurs leading into a vacation or holiday (hang in there, they are coming back!). Overachievers simply perform – relentlessly – often neglecting critical maintenance and low fluid alerts.
Poor sleep patterns. Unhealthy diet. Irritability. Diminished morale.
Then the engine stalls out, and we roll to a stop on the metaphorical grassy median, smoke emanating from our engine block.
Certainly under the constant pall of a pandemic, we have pushed the limits of our capacity to suck it up and power thru Zoom meetings, feigning engagement and inspiration. At times, we have overstayed our welcome in our new office (aka the guest bedroom or basement). While remote work conceptually is efficient, liberating and allows for frequent nature walks with the dog…society needs socializing to thrive.
Truly connecting requires face time, not FaceTime. And breakout conversations break down when the screen freezes.
Our engines run on all sorts of fuel, beyond Keto and Paleo (no relation). BITD our engine got topped up by celebratory team huddles, acknowledging we nailed the pitch for a new account. Other times, we drew energy from bouncing around town for several productive meetings in one day. Even the electricity of a crowded music venue recharged our EV engine, driving us to be evermore productive at work so we might continue to play hard as well. And so on – you get the analogy.
Il Punto: We rely on various engines to drive different aspects of our lives. These engines run hot, cold, and sometimes not at all. The responsibility lands squarely on our shoulders to operate at a medium pace and maintain our engines. We must fill up with quality fuel and fluids, and be prepared for the inevitable overheating from time to time. Especially now, as this distanced period draws toward a close, we must tap our creativity to reignite our social engine.
*This post sponsored in part by Big Oil and the combustion engine auto manufacturers. Without you, several generations would have never known the thrill of redlining a muscle car, or dumping a clutch to lay tracks.
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