Now that you know all about the intricate processes of a chipmunk’s jumbo nap, we can get into the real story. When I was only a baby striped rodent, I couldn’t see this period as pleasant. I didn’t understand why we needed to waste so much time in our burrows, instead of doing actual stuff. I understood the concept of cold and danger, but still? Wasn’t there a more productive way of using this time of the year? No matter what anyone told me, I wasn’t able to grasp this abstract concept of prolonged rest. It nagged at me so violently, that I couldn’t sleep with the rest of my family. I couldn’t enjoy the soft berries, nor the feather-filled pillows my brothers gifted me.

Because of this, one year I decided I wouldn’t partake in this activity. While the others were asleep, I slipped through the wooden door. I knew outside was cold, so I put on my heaviest coat and my furry bow that covers my ears. Nonetheless, nothing could have prepared me for what I experienced outside. Everything was dead: leaves, trees, grass, even the sun! I knew snow, but I didn’t like this watery mud I saw on the ground. It seeped into the fabric of my clothes and made me feel cold in my bones. The silence was so loud, it pierced my earmuffs. I tried to get on with the daily tasks, I really did. But the weather took every ounce of energy from me. It made me hungry and sleepy and thirsty. The sunset came way too quickly, taking away even my shadow from me. I felt alone and utterly unhappy.

Accepting the rest periods, even relishing in them

I realized I was fighting against something completely natural. As if you would try hanging on to the moon when the stars start to fade. I tried doing more and being more to make everyone proud, but what other rodents think should be of no value to me. Sometimes we try so hard to look for the right answer, because the one in front of us sounds too easy. But who says life has to be hard and cold and tasting of coal? My family, safely tucked away in their cotton blankets, surely don’t. Life is more about changing with the season. Accepting the rest periods, even relishing in them. The outside world won’t wait for you, but maybe you don’t even need that. Take your time and come out when the world is indeed different, more befitting to you.

That is why I swallowed my pride and went back. Back to the burrow where my loved ones shared berries and stories, where the warmth came both from the heavy materials and insulated walls (thank you, Uncle Chip) and the full hearts. I could hear all of them snoring or mumbling in their sleep, and something so simple became so precious. What a privilege it is to be able to take breaks and to fully savor them.

Surely, we sometimes wake up. That is because it feels right, not because we have to. But maybe we want more snacks or pillows, or we crave a fresh breath of air (aka we need to use the restroom). It is not only about balance, but accepting that sometimes it is more inclined in one certain position for a longer period of time. Moreover, if the situation really asks for it, we can sleep even longer, worry not! If the food is scarce or the bed too comfy, we will take after our relatives, the groundhogs. Although, we don’t enjoy being in the spotlight that much… I mean, do they really need a whole day to themselves?

Anyway, the point is that I get how hard it is to just switch it off, the need to be productive, to be always better than (leaving a blank space here for you). For me, it helps to have a certain something that signals a period of work compared to a period of rest. That is exactly why I have my sleeping bow and my active bow. It is just a little reminder that I should not feel guilty and that everything has its own rhythm. They are both adorable and make me excited about that specific activity. If I can make my existence more whimsical, I most likely will.

Pour love into yourself, and it will come back threefold

So, my cute readers, I say it is time to slow it down. I know you are busy, and I know you are stressed out. We don’t even celebrate Christmas and have no e-mails to send, so I can’t even imagine the added hassle of that. But I also know you are more important than anything else. The people you love are important, and so is what you love to do. I want you to be warm and fuzzy, cozied up in a fort of wishes fulfilled. Everything that is sweet and honeyed will happen to you. But, and this is a big one, it won’t happen faster if you work yourself to death. Physically, maybe it will come faster, but it won’t mean the same anymore. If you don’t give yourself love, anything that comes your way won’t come from love. It is simple, really: pour love into yourself, and it will come back threefold. And, yes, sometimes love comes in the form of hot chocolate and a good book. Sometimes, when it’s my turn to check the window for any changes in weather, I take my time and my extra special slippers and read a little bit. Even if the light is scarce and will probably trouble my eyes. Because, right there and right then, that’s what love feels like.