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There is this thing that, by its very nature, overpowers the greater thing, for the greater thing is smaller and quieter and easier to deny - at least from an overtly human perspective. The lesser thing comes at me like a pair of giant arms, its aim to devour and consume - all of me. Unless the whisper grows in intensity to ultimately overpower the lesser thing, I am helpless in this case. I will inevitably succumb into its grasp.

Or is the lesser thing a thing to which my arms are compelled to reach, for my eyes have beheld how delicious in appearance it is, and my mind desires to know just what this particular apple tastes like, and my heart fears it may be missing out on something greater should it deny this lesser thing. Give it a chance. You can surely have this in conjunction with the other thing. Do I truly know that the other thing is, indeed, greater by far?

It would seem that even as I allow these arms to encompass me, or even as I reach out for this thing that seems like it might satisfy even so, I hear the whisper of the greater thing. Somewhere within me, perhaps in my subconscious I have realized the greatness, the importance of the greater thing... the thing that whispers in my ear. As I am caught up in the largeness, the loudness, the utter distraction of pursuing my own ends, the greater thing, of all things, whispers. And I hear it.

I do not perceive that the arms are trying to suffocate me, wrapping themselves around my life, their aim to squeeze said life out from within me. If I wait long enough, I will surely become in essence like this lesser thing - a dead thing. Even as they encompass me, my own arms reach toward the lesser thing, for the lesser thing is in appearance greater, and I want it. Even so I find that I cannot entirely grasp it, for though the whisper is small and slight, I can hear it, and I find the greater thing a distraction to my pursuit of the lesser thing.

I have of course realized at this point that the lesser thing is, indeed, a distraction to my pursuit of the greater thing. But due in part to its largeness and loudness, how can I put it out and heed only the whisper? I must disentangle myself, release my own grasp on the thing, and it must let go of me. I cannot cause these arms to leave me. Someone must break them. The greater thing, the thing that produces only a whisper - perhaps it can break the arms away.

Oh, but I love the lesser thing. It is familiar and comfortable and I cannot at this point envision my life without it. With all my being I wish I could have both the greater thing and the lesser thing, as I told myself I could - of course I lied to myself. Not only did I hear the whisper of the greater thing, reminding me of its existence and of its once-held status in my life before it was replaced, seemingly, with lesser things - but I also comprehended the words that it spoke. You cannot have both Me and this lesser thing.

The longer I wait to embrace the greater thing, the harder it becomes to let go of the lesser.

Learn more about this author, Rachel Frazer.
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