LIFE IS A BALANCING ACT.

From the time we are born until the time we die, we seem to juggle things in our environment in order to get our needs met or find a place of equilibrium so we can feel safe and reasonably happy.

As a baby, we learn to cry to get attention so we can signal to others that something is not as we want it to be whether it be a lack of food, water, or a clean bottom. As we grow older, we learn the cues on how to please those we rely upon for our survival. If we frown too much or scream too much, we often upset the apple cart and don’t get our needs met in the affectionate way we prefer. We may get what we want, but we may pay a price for our impatience. If we call people names or curse, we learn we may not get what we need at all. 

As we grow into adulthood, we learn how to compromise, how to give in when the cost is not too prohibitive. When love comes along, we learn to sacrifice at times so the other person gets what he or she needs or wants. We learn the art of give and take, the difference between need and want, and how to analyze the pros and cons of a situation.  And sadly, we learn with a lot of pain, what happens when we give too much when the other person gives too little. We come to understand the delicate balance of caring for our own needs as well as those of other people.

As we enter in to the sunset of our lives, we find the balance between taking risks and being safe, how much to cling to and when to let go. We learn to slow down, if we are intelligent, and we take the time to be aware of what is around us and become grateful for the little things in life.

We find that we can survive with less, and that love and family is more valuable than having lots of money to spend. We become more interested in what we leave behind and what lies before us and less interested in material things. We learn that loss happens to all of us and that we need to take the time to grieve for those things that are gone. We learn to balance our expectations when coming face to face with what is, and most of all, we come to value peace, above all things. Hopefully, we find the courage to walk the tight-rope between life and death before we finally let go for the very last time.

Yu/stan/kema