“Monday 5 Things” ….. A Pony, A Waffle, & A Lion …..
December 01, 2025 by D. Paul Graham
Ever curious and always amused by the quirks of life, join D. Paul Graham each Monday for more M5T pondering.
“The Lion Within”, image by AI, 2025
It was a brilliant Monday morning in Savannah for a ride in the Pony, made even more special with my granddaughter, now old enough and tall enough to ride as co-pilot without the need for a car seat. Judging from the smiles on her face, I think she enjoyed her first spirited drive.
Taking a break from the drive, we stopped at Waffle House. Sitting at our table discussing all manner of things in life, she asked me the kind of question that only comes from the perspective of a child.
“Poppa Paul, what’s your favorite animal?” I paused, then told her, “The lion”. The inevitable next question followed. “Why?” I wondered how to explain to a soon-to-be eight-year-old that for me, lions are part memory, part metaphor, part spiritual compass?
Lions have been woven into my life’s story, following me quietly and symbolically from childhood to manhood. From watching lions roam the Serengeti in Mutual of Omaha’s ‘Wild Kingdom’ as a kid. To singing at the top of my lungs in my car to Bruce Cockburn’s “Wondering Where the Lions Are” in the 80’s. And to re-re-rereading C.S. Lewis’ “Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe” that reveals Christ as the Lion of Judah. The very embodiment of strength wrapped in peace, authority draped in grace, and presenting power not as domination, but as divine assurance.
From board rooms late at night, to standing on pit walls at dawn. From struggling to make decisions that felt too big to make sense of, to navigating quiet internal battles that no one has ever seen. I always come back to the realization that the lion is always there. If I’m willing to act like one. The lion, with strength, virtue, and steadiness is always within us, that can sometimes be awakened by a song, sometimes by scripture, and sometimes from the simple, luminous question of a child.
From a modest breakfast with a kid that has me firmly wrapped around her little finger, this morning’s M5T considers lion behaviors that make us stronger spiritually, emotionally, and as leaders.
1. Lions Lead with Quiet Confidence. A lion’s authority is never shouted. It’s felt. It’s observed. Lions don’t need to explain their power because their presence speaks for them. Quiet confidence is one of the most spiritual forms of leadership. It says, “I know who I am, and I know Whose I am.” You don’t need to prove your worth or justify your calling. You walk in steady humility. You let your actions speak, your consistency carry weight, and your integrity be your distinctive roar, without having to raise your voice.
2. Lions Rest. Lions rest because they understand timing. They know that power is finite, and that purpose requires energy in its purest form. Rest isn’t laziness. It’s preparation. We burn out pretending the world needs us in motion every second. But rest is holy. Even Christ stepped away to quiet places to restore His spirit. Rest sharpens our instincts, renews our courage, and prepares us for those moments that truly matter. The defining moments where our roar can change the atmosphere. Rest doesn’t weaken readiness. It creates it.
3. Lions Don’t Chase Every Noise. A lion doesn’t respond to every rustle, every distraction, every provocation. They move with intention, not impulse. Noise surrounds them but does not command them. We live in a world of constant pings, opinions, messages, conflicts, and criticisms, all begging for our attention. All daring us to react. But lions, and the Lion of Judah above all, teach us the power of discernment. Respond only to what aligns with your purpose. Release what tries to pull you away from it. Strength isn’t found in reacting to everything. It's found in choosing what is worthy of your response.
4. Lions Move as a Pride. The mightiest lions are not solitary. Their strength is multiplied in community, protecting one another, hunting together, raising their young side by side, and sharing the weight of survival. Lions know instinctively what we often forget. We were never meant to experience life alone. Faith, family, friendship, and fellowship are all communal. These are our pride. These are the people placed around us to sharpen our purpose, to steady our spirit, and to magnify our courage. Choose your pride wisely. Invest in it with intention. Then guard it fiercely, proudly, and without apology.
5. Lions Know When to Roar. Lions don’t roar constantly. But when they do, it rolls over the land, communicating their authority across miles. Their roar is felt in the chest before it is heard in the ear. Their roar carries power, announces presence, marks territory, and establishes truth and boundaries. Your roar is your conviction. Your faith anchors decision and principles. Your clear “yes”. Your firm “no.” It doesn’t need volume. It needs substance and meaning. Save your roar for the moments that shape your destiny. Christ’s roar wasn’t loud. it was sacrificial, eternal, and transformative. Our own roars can echo that same quiet power and wisdom.
Here's to a week of being a lion.
© 2025 D. Paul Graham, All Rights Reserved
Paul continues to struggle to rest, but breakfast with his granddaughter was a reminder of what it means to be a lion.
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