Snippets of overheard conversation can sometimes have a profound impact on my life. Such was the case when a young boy and his dad cycled past me.
The boy said, “The ground is really hard if you fall.” His dad agreed and told him that was why they had worked so hard on balance, so he’d be less likely to fall. That is all of the conversation I heard, but it was enough.
The thought of balance stayed with me. Not balance on a bicycle, but in life.
My life consists of many good things. The problem comes when I focus on a few of them and neglect the others. Without a proper balance, I become unstable. This may not be evident right away, but eventually, my quality of life is affected. If I don’t pay attention to the warning signs I’m headed for a fall.
Like the young boy on the bicycle, I have fallen and experienced some hard landings. Getting back up can be difficult. The bumps and bruises remind me to be more careful next time.
The simple wisdom I overheard was timely. Fall is typically a season of new beginnings as activities resume and days get busier. In the past, I have been known to take on too many commitments. Time and attention are taken from other areas in order to keep up. This creates an unbalance physically, emotionally and relationally.
I’m getting too old to pick myself up easily after a fall. For that reason, I’m working hard to keep balance in my life. I know I can’t be the only one who struggles with this.
How are you doing with maintaining balance and do you have any tips to share?
Tag: balance
Don’t Lose Focus
In August I was given the opportunity to try a new activity. Since I have a healthy respect, (bordering on fear), of water, the idea of paddle boarding brought mixed emotions.
My friend assured me the water was not deep and I’d be fine. She patiently showed me how to get on the board and how to go from sitting to standing. I was nervous but determined. To say I was excited when I managed to stand and maintain my balance would be an understatement.
After a few minutes I was feeling quite confident with my newfound skill. An insect landed on my arm and I used the other arm to swat it away. This caused me to not only lose focus, but my balance as well. My worst fear was realized as I plunged under the water.
Fortunately, the water was not deep and I was able to get on my feet with no difficulty. My friend told me I’d just done the most graceful backwards swan drive she’d ever seen! I may not have been graceful getting on the board but it sounded like I made up for it when falling off!
When I considered what happened, I realized my balance was lost because I got distracted and stopped focusing on what I was doing. The lack of focus was what caused my fall.
How often in life has that happened? More times than I care to admit! Distractions are all around me and if I give them my attention I’m bound to stumble and fall. Sometimes I can get back on my feet and other times I end up over my head. At the best, my goal is delayed. At worst, it has come to an untimely end.
My experience with paddle boarding reinforced an important life lesson. If I want to live a productive life I need to keep my focus on what is of importance.