A Matter of Balance

During the final months of winter, the world has been out of balance.  At home, constitutional rules of law and essential government agencies are being attacked.  America’s ever-more-autocratic president is no longer open to international diplomacy or rational dialogue. A respected ally invited to the White House was publicly bullied and falsely accused of being “ungrateful” while fingers were angrily pointed in his face.  “I have all the cards,” America’s wannabe king announced like a spoiled child, as if securing peace was just a game. 

Stressed by daily chaos and bad news, and perhaps dehydrated at the end of a walk one afternoon, I passed out and landed flat on my back in our driveway. Cushioned by a fog of amnesia, I remember none of the drama. All I know is that I survived a trauma to my head, got up by myself, and carried on.  Medical tests that I’ve since had may suggest what might have caused me to black out that day and end up with a concussion.  In the meantime, I’m taking care of myself, drinking lots of water, and checking my pulse rate regularly with my new Apple Watch and an oximeter.

As I look back on that out-of-body experience, I find myself thinking about what I’ve learned from my fall.  On the cusp of eighty, it behooves me to be careful and listen to what my body is telling me.  In today’s upside-down world, I must work hard to remain upright in all senses of the word. And in these challenging times when I fear for our democracy, I must find ways to be a voice in resisting gathering forces of evil.  For while there are times to seek solace in silence, in the end, it will be community and our joined efforts to keep truth alive that will save us.

Life is a matter of balance.

Of sitting alone with a cup of tea and watch birds through a breakfast window; 

Of allowing yourself time to laugh at the antics of squirrels frolicking in the snow;

Of knowing when to follow and when to follow your own heart;

Of reminding yourself every day to be kind in a world where you can be anything; 

Of putting one foot in front of the other with care when the path is rocky;

And when in doubt, remembering to breathe in, breathe out.