ACTS OF BALANCE
While watching the many acts during a Pirate’s Voyage pre-show, I was struck by the balancing act: partially because I was thinking you could never pay me enough to try that and partially because balance is truly an impressive skill. It can be so easy to put too much weight or apply too much pressure to one side and not enough to the other.
Life is full of balancing acts:
-putting in enough time at work and allowing time for a social/family life
-pushing for self improvement and avoiding an overly critical attitude
-eating healthy/ exercising without obsessing about the scale
-giving people, especially children, healthy boundaries and leaving room for growth
-taking care of yourself and taking care of others
-taking care of yourself and allowing others to help you
-add almost any area of life here……
Finding that place of balance can be stressful. At the pirate show, the performer’s body was tense and he was concentrating hard……until he found his balance. Once he was balanced, he stood upright with a relaxed smile and his arms in the air triumphantly. However, if he became too relaxed and moved to one side or the other, he would have fallen off.
When we are balanced, life feels more relaxed and calm. However, it still requires effort to stay in that position. When we swing too far to one side or the other our stress levels rise, panic can set in, or we can fall and get hurt. Our balance can also affect others. Picture those who count on you on each side of a see-saw. If too much focus is on one side it is weighted down while the other side is left in the air. Although it takes work to maintain balance, it is less stressful than living out of balance.
Unlike the performer, we do not have to find our balance alone. We can steady ourselves by reaching out and holding on to something until we are centered again. I find faith, family, and friends help me when I need a little support to restore balance. When I am balanced, I can then be a support for others.
Just as I was rooting for the performer to find and maintain his balance, I am rooting for you today as you perform your acts of balance!