SQUIRREL!
A “SQUIRREL!” moment is exactly what it sounds like. Dogs are the definition of these things. You’re on a walk with a dog, a classic trope, and suddenly, you get pulled off in another direction. Why? He sees a squirrel and MUST give chase. That sudden, irresistible diversion? That’s a SQUIRREL! moment.
I like to keep the TV (or a radio) on when I’m working. It’s really on for background noise, so it is mostly ignored. I have to be very focused on something to notice it’s quiet, but when I do notice? Forget it. Every once in a while, something catches my ear (or my eye) and I get completely distracted. That sudden jolt of excitement, curiosity, or amusement? Another SQUIRREL! moment.
I had America’s Got Talent on, and heard Def Leppard was going to be on the next evening’s results show. I was supposed to be working on something, but come on. Def Leppard? How can you NOT get excited about that! For a solid five minutes, I was fully invested in this random, unexpected tidbit. SQUIRREL!
Sometimes it’s music. Occasionally, it's a video of a dancing cat. At times, it’s noticing a fashion choice that makes me scratch my head (backwards ballcaps on middle-aged men, anyone?). Sometimes it’s seeing a street performer, reading a random article, or just catching a moment of beauty on a walk. These little sparks pull us out of the routine, the mundane, the work we think we have to do, and you have to give chase.
Here’s the thing: SQUIRREL! moments aren’t distractions in a bad way. They’re reminders we are fully human and, in a way, fully divine. They give us a chance to breathe, to enjoy the things that excite us, or just to get a brief reprieve from the daily grind. Life isn’t meant to be all focus and deadlines. These tiny moments of joy, curiosity, or surprise are exactly what keep us alive, creative, and alert to the world around us.
Embrace them. Lean into them. Laugh at them. Sometimes the universe is just handing you a little gift, and all you can do is chase it. SQUIRREL! moments are the heartbeat of spontaneity in our daily lives.
The next time something random pulls you away from your work — SQUIRREL!!!!!!!!!!!*
*Sorry, but a Grace VanderWaal video came on…Okay, it’s over. By the way, for a very entertaining and enjoyable squirrel, check out Jeffy the Squirrel in the comics by Keven Miles. Available from Word Out Books.