Newness for an old tradition

 

The robot looks strangely at the object he had just assembled at the entrance of the beautiful house.

His daily work is vast, but he does not complain; it is not in its programming... It simply does what it has to do in the best possible way, with the precision of an advanced science.

Everyone praises the quality of its food, both in nutrition and taste. Everyone is surprised by the cleanliness of the house, the clothes so well ironed, the dishes washed and everything else that a home entails.

At night, it sleeps like everyone else, recharging the battery. The next day, it goes back to work based on what it is told.

Even this strange object...

A Christmas tree.

For the robot, it's like anything else, but it's the first time that the inhabitants of that house showed so much interest by participating along with it in the task of the tree. And while the robot watches, people keep placing packages under it. Why?

Using the fantastic artificial intelligence that distinguishes it, in a quick search, it shows that they are Christmas gifts, a way to exchange love... Ten months ago, when it went to serve this house, that word came up in the middle of many conversations, overheard by the robot, who could never understand it well.

The next day, after a lot of work, much more than usual, the robot prepares to go to sleep when its master calls it. He is happy, more than usual, he takes one of the packages under the tree and hands it to the robot. On a sign, the robot's internal system is able to discern a word: JUANCITO.

Consciously, the robot knows that this is its code for these people, how to recognize that they require something from it. After a few microseconds of processing, the robot manages to interpret what was happening.

This package has his name on it.

This package is therefore his.

According to what he researched, it is a sign of love...

For another microsecond, he feels something... As if something internally had changed.

Delicately, according to his programming, he takes the package and thanks.

He takes it to the station where he lives, right next to the washing machine, and as he prepares to recharge overnight, he opens the package, as delicately as he had taken it.

Searching the networks, he finds that he had been given a hat, something quite useless, not practical for his day to day. Still, without knowing why, he puts it on his head and goes to sleep...

For the next few days and months, the robot would wear his hat without fail. Questioned by the company about their performance, the owners of the house could not be happier with his services.

For years, no one would be able to explain the old-fashioned robot that continued to serve a certain family, and his strange hat, complemented by a scarf, a Hawaiian shirt - on which he placed a tie - and all sorts of other elements...

Nor would they be able to explain the number of electronic elements that the members of that house carried, all with a little word written – and hidden, as they had to find it: JUANCITO.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Novedades para una vieja tradición

 

El robot mira extrañado el objeto que recién armó a la entrada de la bella casa.

Su trabajo diario es vasto, pero no se queja; no está en su programación… Simplemente realiza lo que tiene que hacer de la mejor manera posible, con la precisión de una avanzada ciencia.

Todos elogian la calidad de su alimento, tanto en nutrición como en sabor. Todos se sorprenden con la limpieza de la casa, la ropa tan bien planchada, la loza lavada y todo lo demás que supone un hogar.

Por las noches, duerme como todos, recargando su batería. Al día siguiente, vuelve a trabajar con base en lo que le indiquen.

Incluso, este extraño objeto…

Un árbol de navidad.

Para el robot, es como cualquier cosa, pero es la primera vez que los habitantes de esa casa mostraron tanto interés que participaron con él de la tarea del árbol. Y mientras el robot mira, la gente sigue colocando paquetes debajo de él. ¿Por qué?

Una rápida búsqueda, usando la fantástica inteligencia artificial que le distingue, muestra que son regalos de navidad, una forma de intercambiar amor… hace diez meses, cuando pasó a servir a esta casa, esa palabra surgió en medio de muchas conversaciones, escuchadas por el robot, que nunca pudo entenderlo bien.

Al día siguiente, tras mucho trabajo, mucho más que lo normal, el robot se prepara para irse a dormir cuando su amo lo llama. Está feliz, más que lo normal, toma uno de los paquetes bajo el árbol y lo entrega al robot. En un rótulo, el sistema interno del robot es capaz de discernir una palabra: JUANCITO.

Conscientemente, el robot sabe que este es su código para estas personas, la forma cómo reconocer que requieren algo de él. Tras unos microsegundos de procesamiento, el robot logra interpretar lo que estaba pasando.

Este paquete tiene su nombre.

Este paquete es por lo tanto suyo.

Según lo que investigó, es una muestra de amor…

Por otros microsegundos, siente algo… Como si algo internamente hubiese cambiando.

Delicadamente, según su programación, toma el paquete y agradece.

Lo lleva a la estación en que vive, justo al lado de la lavadora, y mientras se prepara para recargarse durante la noche, abre el paquete, con la misma delicadeza que lo había tomado.

Buscando en las redes, encuentra que le habían entregado un sombrero, algo bastante inútil, nada práctico para su día a día. Así mismo, sin saber por qué, lo pone en su cabeza y va a dormir…

Por los próximos días y meses, el robot usaría su sombrero sin fallar. Cuestionados por la empresa sobre su desempeño, los dueños de la casa no podían estar más felices con sus servicios.

Por años, nadie lograría explicar el anticuado robot que seguía sirviendo a una cierta familia, y su extraño sombrero, al lado de una bufanda, camisa hawaiana - sobre la que colocó una corbata - y toda suerte de elementos…

Tampoco lograrían explicar la cantidad de elementos electrónicos que los miembros de aquella casa portaban, todos con una palabrita escrita – y escondida, la tenían que encontrar: JUANCITO.

What to do when the initial energy fades…

 

There is a moment, at the beginning of anything new, when life feels brighter. An idea appears, a project begins, a relationship opens its first doors, something inside awakens. Fresh energy moves the mind; clarity feels natural and enthusiasm flows almost without effort.

Then, quietly, the initial spark begins to weaken. Routine settles in, doubts appear and the shine of the beginning slowly turns into a memory. It happens at work, in relationships, in personal goals and even in spiritual practice.

This is not a failure. It is simply the rhythm of life reminding us that beginnings are gifts, but continuity requires effort. First, the gift is opened and enjoyed. After that, it needs to be sustained.

Sometimes, fading energy is a sign that the original intention needs to mature. A small inner realignment may be enough: Is this still what truly matters? The question may not feel small, but clarity often returns when attention is brought back to what is really happening in life. That realization works like fresh air.

At other times, it is a signal that the pace has been too fast for too long. In those moments, slowing down becomes essential. Pausing, meditating or allowing life to flow again can restore balance. The spark that returns may not feel like excitement, but like clarity - and clarity is far more sustainable.

One thing matters here: restarting energy is not about forcing motivation. That rarely works. What truly helps is returning to purpose. Why did this journey begin in the first place? Reconnecting with that initial intention can reawaken momentum, gently and without pressure.

There are also a few practical ways to support this process.

• Simplify. When there is too much detail, expectation or demand, energy leaks away. Reducing a task to its essence often brings the spark back. The same happens in relationships: when emotional noise quiets down, what was beautiful from the start becomes visible again.
• Pause. A conscious, gentle pause resets the mind, softens the heart and allows energy to rise naturally. This may happen through meditation, by easing the workload or by walking in nature. What returns may not be excitement, but clarity - and clarity sustains movement over time.

The essential thing is this: don’t stop abruptly. Try again. Adjust. Explore different tools and perspectives. With patience and honesty with yourself, the initial spark often returns - changed, perhaps quieter, but deeper and more real.

Your awareness…

 

What you are is your awareness. It is the way you perceive and interpret what happens around you.

For some, ageing feels like a tragedy; for others, it unfolds naturally.

A job can be a torture for one person and a blessing for the coworker sitting beside them.

Clouds in the sky may worry someone leaving the office, yet for a farmer they are wonderful news.

The list could go on. Instead of trying to change age, work, or the weather, it is possible to change consciousness.

It is not easy, but there is already a whole range of awareness available to use. A person can be a mother and a manager, accessing the right consciousness at the right moment.

Returning to the examples, awareness may work in this way:

* As ageing happens, begin to refine your nature, reshape your personality, explore new interests and develop new tastes.

* Before leaving home for work, remind yourself why you are working, the benefits you receive and how meaningful it is for your life; walk into your workplace with that awareness.

* When clouds appear, remember the benefits of rain, find shelter and enjoy the fragrance, the soothing sound and the freshness it brings.

Shifting awareness is deeply motivating. So, when challenges arrive and you feel old, your job feels unbearable and you catch a flu because of the rain (and this article), that motivation will remain - enough to help you keep moving forward.

 

This is the last post in a series about motivation - starting from within.