Balance

After a wonderful summer with a little extra time and a few less obligations, the school year is calling me back to the real world ... Which means it's time for this yearly reminder to myself: 

"Prioritize your priorities and let what needs to go, because balance is not something you find, it's something you create."

Let's face it, none of us go around doing a whole lot of things we seem totally unimportant. We (largely) spend our time doing things we like, things we enjoy, or things we decide need done. Which means it's often hard for us to "cut" things from our plates and to-do lists. If it's all important, what goes? 

So here's what I'm hoping will allow me to keep taking deep breaths this August .... balance.

If you pictured this:

don't. Instead, picture this:

If you Google "balance" the number 1 definition that pops up is "keep or put (something) in a steady position so that it does not fall." 

When you build a block tower, even the toddler builder fairly quickly figures out that the tower needs a steady base to allow the tower to stand. If you rush building and bump the tower or get things off center, the whole tower is likely to topple prematurely. Instead, the block tower builder needs to carefully put each block on steadily, in a solid, maintainable position.

We have so many "blocks" in our worlds. Church, Bible study, marriage, children, extended family relationships, friends, careers, hobbies, pets ... the list could go on and on. Our responsibilities and our chosen past times fill our hands - which is GREAT - as long as we keep them balanced.

You may occasionally hear me say I'm "juggling" it ... but I'm trying to strike that phase from my vocabulary. Here's why:

If you Google "juggling" the top definition is "continuously tossing into the air and catching (a number of objects) so as to keep at least one in the air while handling the others, typically for the entertainment of others" and the second is "cope with by adroitly balancing".

Okay - I love you all - but I don't have the mind space to do much "for the entertainment of others" (ha) and continuously tossing things into the air just sounds exhausting. AND do you know what "adroitly" means? It means "in a clever or skillful way". I can *guarantee* you that at the end of every day the first month of school I will be much too tired to be clever and skillfully tossing things into the air and catching them. 

.... ain't nobody got time for that.

So, instead, I will balance - with careful thought - as much as I can. When you build a really tall tower, the base has to be the biggest - the most solid. Then, the levels may get skinnier, and even a little wobbly, the higher up you go.  

For me, this means, my "big" things - my highest prioritized priorities - are my base. My Bible study, my relationship with God, my worship are the base I *must* maintain. The things that are tied directly to that are my next, almost as large, level: my marriage,  my daughters, my family, the relationships that keep me going strong and that are important for me to keep up.

Some levels have variances and choices that must be made - as a teacher, my career is important, but can also be consuming. I LOVE my job and always want to give it my all ... but choices have to be made. How many extra clubs will I sponsor? How many extra duties do I sign up for? How much extra time do I put in? 

And some levels may have "time variances" .... sometimes my friends need me to get together with them, to reach out, to engage frequently. Sometimes my friends (because they are awesome) understand that my social life needs to take a back seat for a time. Things ebb and flow - and that is okay, too.

Some levels are fun, and may be temporary. They balance on the top for a time, and then can be removed. Lydia played spring soccer and loved it! It was worth the time commitment for her, and we'll probably balance it again this spring. She isn't playing fall soccer because I don't see a way to balance that. And, that's okay too! Remember this post? It's the only juggling analogy I love ... sometimes the plastic balls have to be allowed to drop so the glass ones can stay in the air. Will she be slightly disappointed when she doesn't get to play fall soccer? Yes. Will she live and move on incredibly quickly without any life-long damage and baggage? Also yes (phew). 

And, here is the *best* thing about balancing when you're building a block tower .... you can stop and readjust along the way. A new block needs put in? Figure out where it fits *without* knocking over the whole thing. Does it strengthen the base? Does it fit well with a different level? Does it teeter on the top and bring enough positives to be worth the extra height?  All good. But if it overwhelms the base and threatens to make your balanced tower topple ..... reconsider, and maintain the balance.