Gird Up Your Mind

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end.

In Peter's day, people wore long robes. Before you ran, worked or fought, you gathered the loose cloth and tied it up, or it would trip you. Gird up the loins of your mind means the same thing: gather what is trailing.

A trailing mind is the ordinary condition now. Half of yesterday's argument, tomorrow's worry, three unread messages and a video you did not need to watch — all dragging behind you while you try to move. Then we call ourselves tired, when what we really are is scattered.

Be sober is next, and it does not only mean staying away from drink. It means clear-headed. Not swept along by every mood and every notification, but steady enough to think a thought all the way to the end.

And then, hope to the end. Gathering your mind is not just for productivity. It is so you can hold on to something. A scattered mind cannot hold hope for long.