The Balance of Life or It's Scary Up Here

We hear a lot these days about getting our lives balanced.
Balancing time, energy and money between all the things we each need to accomplish, daily, weekly…..
When I visualize balance, two pictures come to my mind.
First is a tightrope walker, perilously inching from one skyscraper to another.
Now my wife will attest to the fact that any home projects requiring the use of more than a, two step, stepladder, will be performed by someone other than me. I’m just not good with heights. So this first example leaves me uncomfortable. It also appears to be a strenuous task, one requiring physical skill, strength and extreme concentration: Wiggling, leaning, shaking… whew….definitely not my deal.
The second image is of Lady Justice, scales perfectly balanced. A much more serene feeling is enjoyed with this visual. What I notice however is that nothing is happening, no movement in either direction, therefore no growth.
Using these examples and many things I have read, I personally have replaced the word balance with harmony.
It seems to me that a vigil to keep our lives in balance will result in a life time of hard work and juggling each area: physical, financial, spiritual, emotional and relationships. How long can we keep all these in the air?
My life has never been balanced, at least not for any length of time. Has yours? There are times when major attention is placed on a work project, in a time of illness our focus is on healing and the other areas take a back burner. Use your own example, but you get my thought.
There are going to be times when it is critical that we be out of balance. Sometimes we need to step off the wire and lay down some of our juggling act. And I believe that is ok, if we are in harmony! Isn’t that a beautiful word? Harmony is an effect produced when different things come together without clashing, different things, yet they are in accord and agreement.
When the orchestra plays, it is the harmony of all the instruments that moves us.
Perhaps the horns take the lead, loud and proud, next the strings forte`. Can you hear the violins? Then the timpani drums crescendo carrying us to heights we had not dreamed possible! Our hearts racing, our beings filled with emotions…we simply can’t find words to express.
What if all they played were booming base notes, or the same notes again and again? That would get old rather quickly I would imagine. If each section played with equal intensity, if there were no variations, where would that leave our emotions? I can’t feature being moved to tears or leaping to my feet in ovation. It is in the harmony, the complimentary modification in rhythm, tune and key, that we find fulfillment, joy, peace, life.
Which sounds best to you? Do you want to spend your days juggling, struggling to balance ‘on the wire’, or to embrace a harmonic arrangement of life?
So what do you think?
Have I made a good case?
Personally…..
I’m calling someone to clean the gutters and I’m going to the concert.
Want to come along? There is room on the front row.

Writing

"There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein." ~Red Smith

H1N1: The Swine Flu

The headlines cover it daily, H1N1. Case numbers, vaccine availability, death tolls. It is a legitimate concern.
But did you know that there is a more rampant disease plaguing the planet? It is a malady which affects millions of victims, daily, one which the mainstream media chooses to ignore. I have seen nothing on this from the World Health Org. The health and financial effects of this contagious virus are immeasurable. You may catch it anywhere, at work, in the market place, even in your home.
Are you at risk? You may be, and not even realize it.
So what is this threat?
It is: The Whine Flu!
Epidemic in scale, Whine Flu has invaded our society with little notice. It has quietly crept in and infected us, spawning the carrier gene. Word by word, thought by thought, action after action we unwittingly propagate more and more of this insidious affliction.
It is more deeply ingrained than one might believe, at first observation.
Brain researchers say that we have about 60 thousand thoughts per day. Or approx one thought every 1.5 seconds. Wow! No wonder we’re tired! These scientists also believe that about 95% of those thoughts are the same ones that we had the day before. And finally 80% ( 39,000*) of all those are negative. These are referred to as ANTS: Automatic Negative Thoughts. As these ANTS persevere in their daily tasks (you know how persistent ants are) the affliction becomes deeply rooted. It, I believe, becomes a habit.
“Spend five minutes complaining and you have wasted five. Continue this and they will soon haul you off to a financial desert and there let you choke on the dust of your own regret.” ~ Jim Rohn
Is there a remedy for this scourge, this habit? Thankfully, yes there is. And that, in itself, is the cure.
Thankfulness and Gratitude:
If we were to take those 60 K thoughts per day and begin to replace them with Positive thoughts, thoughts of the innumerable advantages and benefits we each posses, we will have revealed the antidote. We will not only embark on our personal journey of healing we will simultaneously acquire the marvelous carrier gene of joy.
We must also limit our exposure to the Whine Flu virus. You see, these carriers won’t be wearing white medical masks so:
Ask yourself these questions that Mr. Rohn has provided.
· Who am I around?
· What have they got me saying, doing, reading?
· Where have they got me going?
· Who do they have me becoming?
· And finally, Is that OK?

I am delighted to announce that my personal case of Whine Flu is in remission. I was at one point a deadly carrier. I am ever on alert for symptoms of its recurrence. Daily doses of the cure are required. Think of it as bathing. Once in a while just don’t cut it.
Attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching?
Personally and collectively we can defeat this foe.
Are you up to the challenge?
I believe you are.
I believe in you.
Do you?