Due to the wildly successful, “528 Day” sale, we have undoubtedly increased our Tuesday email audience. WELCOME! A big thank you is in order for all you did to get the word out … thank you for your love, prayers, and support. Many of you stocked up on Wholetones Christmas in May, and at 52.8% off, Christmas came early! As those of you who have been following Wholetones know, things REALLY start to ramp up during the summer. Keep your eyes open for my newest project—I think you will be quite surprised and truly blown away.
With that said, let’s dive into this week’s musing entitled, “Helium.”
Helium is a wonderful, yet simple, gas with a very basic atomic structure. Although it has many uses, the most common is filling up balloons! A few weeks ago, I visited the Paisley Park memorial to the artist, Prince, in Chanhassen, Minnesota. There were hundreds of purple helium balloons and heartfelt poems, letters, and artwork placed by the fence surrounding Prince’s former recording compound. I was deeply moved by the amazing tribute to this iconic musician. But as beautiful as all of the balloons were, within a few days, they hung lifeless and deflated … only a shadow of their previous glory.
I’m a motivational people-person. As both a minister and a friend, I have encountered a lot of hurting people. Sometimes, I spend so much time with a person that he or she becomes a personal project. You may have experienced the same thing. Every time you meet with that person, they appear to blossom, and you are hopeful that maybe something you said finally helped them turn the corner. But, just a few days later, your “project” appears worse than before! It reminds me of our aforementioned, helium balloons … you fill them up but in a few days, they are deflated again.
Even though helium is the second most abundant gas on Earth, if you are getting it from a tank, filling up a lot of balloons eventually causes the tank to run dry. If you are the “tank,” you know exactly what I mean. This is why it is vitally important that you monitor your “helium” and learn to pace yourself when you are constantly helping others. Years ago, I learned a valuable lesson from a professional lifeguard. He said, “Never forget that a drowning man would step on your head and drown you if it meant he was out of the water.” In the same way, people get addicted to your helium. They would drain the last ounce of gas you have to feel better. I am obviously not telling you to ignore a hurting person; what I am saying is that you can’t help anyone when you have an empty tank. We don’t get “extra points” for emptying our tank—remember to keep a reserve for yourself and your family because who heals the healer? When God empowers people to help others, He also gives them wisdom to know when to refill their tank.
When Jesus sent His disciples out to teach in His name, they were so excited with all they were doing that they neglected to take time to eat and rest properly. When they returned, Jesus told them: “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while” (Mark 6:31). We would do well to follow these words of wisdom. I am honored that many of you find these weekly musings helpful. God bless you!
Be Whole,
Michael S. Tyrrell
P.S. Another takeaway from my trip to Paisley Park: let’s start celebrating each other while we are alive and well instead of waiting until we are gone
