Balancing Choices

One summer several years ago, I was visiting my nephew and his family in California. His two-year old daughter Kyra scampered around the yard in a pink tutu and bare feet (what she called “happy feet”). Her laughter and antics enthralled me.

Several times, Kyra balanced those “happy feet” on two large boulders in the yard. The pride she felt about this accomplishment was obvious in her wide smile and her shrieks of joy.

When she stubbed her toe on the patio stones, she cried. However, because she wanted so badly to be free of shoes she resigned herself to the possibility of more scraped toes. As I watched Kyra’s agile balancing act I thought of how life is a balancing act at all stages

We balance or weigh things, one against the other, our entire life. Of course, many times we don’t even realize we are doing this until the event is over. At times we make conscious choices that put our lives out of balance—when we must reconcile our actions to the possibility of a painful outcome.

When I left my marriage of 12 years, I had to balance, weigh and reconcile everything, from the emotional pain it caused my husband and me, to the many ways in which I was upsetting the friends and family who were riding along in this jolly “apple cart” of our lives. Quitting the marriage was the most difficult thing I have ever done--yet the decision made me feel mentally stronger than I had ever felt in my life.

Two months after leaving my marriage, downsizing eliminated my job of 23 years. Even this blow didn’t topple me from feeling in balance. I simply saw it as one more challenge. Actually, more than one challenge because I had to reconcile the fact that in order to earn the same salary as before I would need to work many more hours.

Yes, life is a balancing act. Just when we feel that our “happy feet” have found a comfortable perch, another challenge presents itself. We may stub our toes and question our decisions, yet we persevere.

LIFE IS A BALANCING ACT

And children sense this

as they step out with bare and happy feet

as they joyfully run and skip

touching cool and moist grasses

turning their souls to nature

And children sense this

their minds challenge their bodies

moving from perfect balance

to another test,

another challenge.

And…