Today I Give Thanks for Those Who Are Balancing

 

Thankful Everyday 12-05-24

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Today I give thanks for all of us who are balancing – whether on a stack of chairs or a pile of responsibilities, loves, needs, and craziness that make up our lives.

 

Six chairs and counting…then he climbs, upside down and backwards.  The Great Meezee did this all with a passion for his own athleticism and showmanship plus genuine enjoyment of the audience!  Busking for a living, dependent on passersby for the tips that pay his bills.  Probably wondering all the time, “Can I just wiggle a little more to the left, or will everything just topple over?”  Yet the sizzle and pizazz of his show weren’t just pasted on; they bubbled up from a love of his craft and the enjoyment he passed on to all of us watching him.

 

Could I find this kind of stylish balance in my life, too?  Maybe by following a bit of advice from Steven Jobs.  Each morning he asked himself, “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?”  And whenever the answer was no for too many days in a row, he knew he needed to change something.

 

What would I most want to do today?  Help a grandchild with homework, comfort a friend who is having a bad day, cook a nourishing yet tasty dinner, and walk, walk, walk on the beach or a snow covered path.  I’d also want to keep my promises, deadlines I set for completing volunteer work that enrich the lives of others.  Spend time to meditating and praying, exercising, and spending plenty of time in nature, whether in my garden or roaming through a woodland trail.  Most of all, it’s about feeling useful and productive – even though I’ve been retired for nine years now!

 

We might find it hard to say “Yes, this is what I want to do today” to mundane chores like paying the water bill or waiting on hold for an insurance representative.  But even then, could we use that downtime to work on a puzzle, make a quick shopping list, take out the trash, clean the sink or weed a corner of the garden?  Maybe we can see this as a gift, a pocketful of time, to wrap up and tidy up a few other tasks that make our lives and the lives of others just a little bit brighter.

 

Maybe it’s not figuring out how to save the world each day or how to invent the next technological break though.  Maybe saying “yes” is really about finding the joy in a seemingly mindless to-do list.  Finding the joy in completing little things that make a difference.  Feeling the beauty, potential, and wonder of other people and our natural world.

 

Today my husband and I head home after a two-week stay with our daughter’s family in California.  So much to do.  Two flights to catch, including a late-night connection.  Food to think about ahead of time.  Snow to worry about when we arrive.  People to connect with.  Appointments to keep.  And, all in all, many, many, many little things to follow up with. 

 

May I remember to be thankful for those of us who are balancing, and find the worth and the joy of taking life step-by-loving step forward.