My boys and I headed home from school one afternoon, Daniel incessantly jabbering as always. He paused long enough for me to notice the stillness. “Mama, if you mash on the horn for thirty minutes and just hold it, will it run out of honk?”

There aren’t many questions that completely stump me, but this one had me bumfuzzled. Could a horn run out of honk? What even made the horn work? Was it air? Battery? Something else?

  “Daniel, I have never thought about that one. Why don’t we call Yaya and see if you can do a science experiment in her yard.” I was teasing, of course, and he could tell by my grin.

Later that evening, I posted Daniel’s quote on social media. Quickly I learned that horns will run out of honk when the car battery dies. A battery can only sustain this type of operation at that level of energy release for so long without replenishing the energy.

Made me think about the level of honk I’m expelling in my own life. Years and years of pushing has caused my honk to weaken. Before long, the battery is going to wear out completely and need replacing. My honk can only be sustained if my battery is strong. And my battery is really starting to show its weakness.

What happens when we run out of honk? When our inward drive and forward momentum wear out? When the energy and hardheaded pride we used to have disappears?

Our honk runs out.

Our voice. Focus. Drive. Determination. Health. Body. Even our want to. They dissipate and we come to a standstill of honklessness. What do we do when our honk runs out?

We must be still. Quiet. Rest. The sounds of busyness that used to rule us are hushed. When the horn is honking at full blast, it’s strange to hear the other sounds all around us, but we must stop and listen.

Horns aren’t made to blow all the time. And we aren’t either. Full throttle for extended time kills our batteries, just like an endless honk kills a car. We must slow down and recharge or we’ll end up with no energy to emit at all.

Are you laying on the horn all the time, running wide open, and killing your battery? What would it take to throttle back and recharge? It’s better to learn moderation now instead of being left stranded on the side of the road with a dead battery, and no honk left to call for help.