Blog Layout

Chase the Chimp and the Fading Sun

Nicholas Urbaniak • January 29, 2025

A Hedgie Bedtime Story

Once upon a time, a clever chimp named Chase lived on a tall hill with two areas: the Lower Ground and the Upper Ground. The Sun, high in the sky, was crucial for growing bananas—especially at the top. Whenever the Sun (like a guiding force) shone brightly on the Upper Ground, bananas there grew extra-large and juicy.

The Perfect Harvest

For many seasons, Chase would pick small bananas from the Lower Ground and plant them up top, where they would soak up plenty of sunlight and grow much bigger. This system was easy:

Lower Ground: Easy-to-get bananas, but small.
Upper Ground: Bigger bananas, thanks to the bright Sun.

As more chimps noticed this trick, they too started planting their bananas up high.

The Sun Refuses to Shine

But then, something changed. The Sun refused to shine as strongly on the Upper Ground. Plus, so many new banana trees had sprouted that they blocked what sunlight was left. The bananas no longer grew as large or as fast.

Chase watched the Upper Ground bananas shrink and thought, “If the Sun isn’t shining like it used to, and the trees are overcrowded, am I getting enough benefit from planting bananas up here?”

A Warning Ignored

Chase tried to warn the other chimps about the fading sunshine and the crowded banana trees. “The bananas up top aren’t much bigger than the ones below now,” he said. “It may be time to rethink our climb.” But many chimps kept making the same trip, hoping the Sun would return to full strength.

When the Light Dims

Eventually, the difference between the bottom bananas and the top bananas got too small. The chimps who had ignored Chase realized their big-banana dreams weren’t paying off anymore. Some rushed to move their bananas back down, crowding the path and creating chaos. But Chase, who had already scaled back his trips up the hill, avoided the worst of the scramble.

Moral of the Story

When you see signs that the Sun isn’t shining like it once did—be it fewer rewards or too much crowding—it often pays to be the first to adapt. Chase saw the warning signs early: smaller Upper Ground bananas and an overabundance of trees blocking the light. Recognizing change before everyone else can save you from climbing a hill that no longer rewards the effort.

< Older Post

A Windchime hanging on the porch of a rustic wooden home with a sunset in the back

Still Tonight

By Nicholas Urbaniak • January 28, 2025

I’m sittin’ on this front porch, watchin’ clouds roll by, A gentle breeze is whisperin’, but I’m not in a rush to try To chase down every dream that I once thought I had to hold— I’ll wait until the wind calls me, let my spirit unfold. I’m hangin’ like a wind chime, quiet till the breeze blows through, And if the air stays still tonight, that’s just fine too. No need to force the music; I’ll sing when I feel that spark. I’m at peace in the quiet, even in the dark. Folks say we gotta keep on runnin’, gotta fight, gotta climb, But there’s a tune in the silence that rings clearer with time. When that gentle wind comes knockin’, I’ll be ready to sway, But if it never stirs tonight, I’m fine just as I stay. I’m hangin’ like a wind chime, quiet till the breeze blows through, And if the air stays still tonight, that’s just fine too. No need to force the music; I’ll sing when I feel that spark. I’m at peace in the quiet, even in the dark. Sometimes I feel the stillness, think the wind might never come, But life has its own timing, like the rhythm of a drum. And if the breeze can’t carry me, I’ll stand without a care— A melody of peace within the hush that fills the air. I’m hangin’ like a wind chime, quiet till the breeze blows through, And if the air stays still tonight, that’s just fine too. No need to force the music; I’ll sing when I feel that spark. I’m at peace in the quiet, even in the dark. I’m at peace in the quiet, watchin’ the daylight fade. No hurry, no worry—this is how I’m meant to stay.