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Today's
Meditation:
To
this quotation, I would change the end to "at work,
in your relationships, and in your creative
pursuits." Because losing balance--or never
finding it, much less losing it--is one of the most
destructive things that can happen to a person. Over
and over in my life I've witnessed people being so caught
up in something that they feel is extremely important, that
they allow other areas of their lives to suffer.
Just think of the parent who spends so much time at work
that he or she never develops a significant relationship
with his or her children--it's a tragedy that plays itself
out over and over again in life.
Balance
is not something that we want to explore after we've lost
it or when we feel we're missing it in our lives.
It's much like the oil in our car--if we wait until it's
gone or if we don't watch its levels, then the engine will
be seriously damaged or even destroyed past repair.
We're willing to check oil levels and get it changed
regularly, but why don't we pay as much attention to the
balance in our lives between our work, our leisure, and
our relationships?
Sometimes,
of course, there's no avoiding a lack of balance.
When a loved one is sick or in serious trouble, we'll
probably neglect our work to a certain extent. If
there's an important project at work, we may spend some
time away from home that we don't want to. I used to
coach high school sports, and the amount of time at work
was significant--but it was always done knowing that the
season would come to an end, and when it did, balance was
restored. If we regularly maintain balance, the
periods of time when we lose it don't have nearly as
strong an effect on us.
I
want to lead a balanced life. I want to be available
to my loved ones, to my students, to the people I work
with, to my friends, and to my self. I know that
sometimes life will take turns that will put me out of
balance for a time, but as long as I'm aware of the loss,
I'll be able to work my way back to a balanced
state. Because only when I'm experiencing balance in
my life can I also experience peace, and loving others
comes much easier from a balanced life than from an
unbalanced one.
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