Written by Jennie Bohmier
It’s the same story we’ve all heard before: tests, research papers, quizzes, chapel, running to this class, that class, stuffing down lunch, work, work, work, cold morning walks, freezing A.C. in the classroom,friend time, roommate time, curfews, meetings, clubs — the list goes on and on. There are plenty of aspects of college life that keep all of us busy pretty much 100 percent of our time.
It was a cold, dreary morning last spring. I was walking to chapel, freezing, stressed beyond my capacity and taking theusual mid-semester appearance of the haggard zombie. I am always overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of college life. How am going to get all this done? Will the tests ever end? Will this week ever end?
It was on this wearisome walk that I happened to notice a little squirrel digging in the ground beside the sidewalk. And suddenly, I was envious. It was totally oblivious and disconnectedfrom this whole stress mess of college life. All he had to do was dig around for nuts all day, hopping from one tree to another. To say the least, at that moment I found myself wishing that I was a squirrel. That squirrel did not realize how easy he had it!
But then I thought about it some more. Have you ever seen a squirrel relaxing beneath a tree? For the most part, when a squirrel sees you he either freezes in his place, staring at you nervously through beady eyes, or he scampers away as fast as he can. Squirrels never sit still. They are always running here to there.
Squirrels spend the majority of their time hunting for nuts, which are then buried and consequentlyforgotten by the squirrel or are stolen by a watchful bird. Squirrels are constantly having to chew on things to keep their teeth filed down and are oftentimes the predator of a phone line or two.
Harding squirrels have it even tougher, as theymust always be on the look out for wandering students, bicycles, golf carts, dogs and the occasional utility vehicle that is randomly parkedin the middle of the Quad.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized thatasquirrel’s lifeis probably just as hectic for him as college can sometimes be for me. But does the squirrel worry about this? I could be wrong, but I don’t think he loses sleep fretting that he will not find food for the next day.
I don’t even think that he is fazed when he can’t remember where he buried that acorn. He just busily moves on, knowing in faith that he will be provided for. Now, if a squirrel can have a mindset like that, why can I not?
We humans, who are in direct communication with God, children after his own heart, have more reasons to believe that our well-being will be provided for than any squirrel. Consider this verse: “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” (Matt. 6:26-27).
God knows what you need and is ready to bless those who trust in him. He provides every day for the squirrels. He has promised to provide for you.
So I encourage you, when the burdens of college life are crashing down around you and you don’t know how you’ll make it to tomorrow, take a moment and consider the squirrels. God cares for them, and he most definitely cares for you!
