Imagine this: There lived a squirrel who had a singular dream: to amass a stockpile of nuts so vast that he would never have to forage another day in his life.
He bore a goal in his heart, a meticulously calculated number of nuts that, once reached, would grant him the freedom to laze around without a care in the world. He dreamed of a future where he could stretch out on his chosen branch, a lofty throne with the best view in the forest, basking in the glow of sunset, sleep until noon, and leisurely observe his compatriots scurrying for food while he sat sated and content.
His every moment, day and night, was consumed by this aspiration. He worked tirelessly, skimped on sleep, forwent friendships, and even neglected to start a family. He was too engrossed in his relentless pursuit to enjoy life. He kept reassuring himself, "One day, just one day, I will have enough and never have to worry about another nut." This thought became his anchor in his unending pursuit.
However, his rigorous efforts began to change him. Initially, he nibbled on one nut a day, but as his days became wearisome, exhaustion seeping into his bones, and sleep becoming a rare luxury, he noticed a change. He was feasting on a growing pile of nuts each day.
The newfound gluttony did not simply satiate his hunger but stoked it further, igniting a voracious appetite within him. The consequential demand of his increased consumption imposed an ironic twist - he now needed to forage even more fervently to sustain his ever-growing stockpile.
As the best years of his life slipped by, his once-sleek body began to round out, growing plump from his excessive eating. The tireless grind had left its mark on him. Nevertheless, he soldiered on, his determination unwavering. Finally, the day came when he achieved his grand ambition, stuffing his storage to its fullest, essentially turning an entire forest into his personal pantry.
In his moment of triumph, he perched on his favorite branch, surveying his hoard with pride. Convinced he'd never need to hunt for another nut, he threw himself into a celebration feast, munching on nut after nut until he was dazed. Caught in this nutty frenzy, he just couldn't stop. He kept eating until he was stuffed to the brim, so heavy that he tumbled right off his branch and crash-landed into the quiet forest carpet, surrounded by the mountain of nuts he'd hoarded.
His enormous form lay still amongst the stockpile he had worked so fervently to amass. His life force seeped away unnoticed, a silent departure in the otherwise bustling forest. The trees, the only witness to the end of the squirrel who had chased his ambition to the grave, his final echo unheard in the grand theater of the forest.
After some time had passed, a small group of young, famished squirrels stumbled upon the nut-strewn forest. Their eyes lit up in wonder at the neglected treasure trove. They frolicked among the forgotten wealth, gorging on the spoils of a stranger squirrel's relentless work. This anonymous squirrel had poured his entire life into collecting these nuts, sacrificing his health, friendships, and the chance of a family, all for a dream of restful days that he never got to enjoy. Instead, his endless efforts fed these newcomers, his legacy unknown to them.
His name was lost to time, and his story was remembered only as a cautionary tale. He was forever known as the Foolish Fat Squirrel.
Scripture: Luke 12:16-21
And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
