Maintaining a Chain Saw

I love running my chain saw. Many years ago I would have exhausted myself for hours chopping with an ax through an oak trunk two feet in diameter, but with my saw, I can accomplish that in less than a minute. It’s a marvel of technology and power.

But a chain saw doesn’t maintain itself. The small teeth must be sharpened periodically, the air filter cleaned, bar oil rigorously filled, and more. If any of these tasks are neglected, the saw is reduced from powerful to useless. If the teeth are not regularly sharpened, for example, the chain can still move quickly, but only friction and heat are generated, sometimes damaging the chain and the bar. So when I feel the cutting become inefficient, I stop working and replace or sharpen the chain.

Similarly, Real Love is a miraculous power, but it must be maintained. If you keep trying to give what you don’t have, for example, you lose not only your ability to give but your own peace of mind—much like running a saw with dull blades. If you feel yourself loving ineffectively, stop. Get what you need from others. Or rest or do whatever rejuvenates your ability to love again.