Balance

Many of my friends and family have chosen a word for 2021. As of January, not one word had touched my heart enough to share or write about it. So my word which just came to my heart recently, is balance. There are so many varying definitions of balance, I’ll try to explain what this year of balance will mean to me.

While I am very content and at peace in my fairly new home state, I’m not certain my “balance” is where I want it to be or where it needs to be. Living close to my daughter, “son” and grandson is exactly what I expected; sharing, caring, loving – yet giving loving space. The balance is definitely here. My personal balance outside of family…isn’t. I like to think I’m a good and loving person. But with all this pandemic, quarantine, shelter at home; I had an awakening of sorts. 2020 brought back a multitude of emotions…sadness, anxiety, and reflection. It’s been a rough time of missing Mike and Lisa. Trying to reflect more on happy memories. Balance

A balance of attitude, more patience (mostly with myself!) More caring, being more aware of what others may need. Living alone you become a little more selfish with your time, which I don’t particularly like. I want to pursue more goodness and hope with a joyful heart.

Balancing impatience…as I’ve grown older, my patience has lessened. Living alone, no compromising needed! Now that’s a little scary. Because of the pandemic, people are restless, anxious and or intolerant. I know I am, I get agitated when things are delayed, noisy, or outright cancelled. How can I get past immediate gratification?

Balancing of senses; touch, sight, hearing, smell, taste. I’m so fortunate to have all these God given senses. The touch of soft fur of my much loved cat, or the thorns (ouch) of the beautiful bougainvillea that embellishes my pool area. My eyes that take in the beauty of the preserve outside my pool, the bamboo, palms, blue skies, stars, and sunshine; or see the angry news casts that break my heart. My ears that hear the beautiful soft sounds of music and the sounds of the earth…or the distressing sound of ambulance sirens that pierce the softness. My nose that can recognize the glorious fragrance of the gardenia…one of my favorites, or the disagreeable odor of rotten eggs! And the last of the senses, tasting the sweet honey of the bees, that gratifying, distinctive liquid that slides over the tongue and down your throat; I know some people love calves liver, but honestly it makes me shiver to think about it. My mom cooked it with onions, but I never ate it after once trying it!

Finding flexibility in the negative…not always easy. Recognition of coming into awareness of negativity is the beginning. Learn to see beauty when there may be none. My senses have developed in to seeing more than just through my eyes. Vision can be more than sight. There is beauty in the wind as it brushes my cheeks, in the clouds that guard brightness from my eyes as I look upward, sprinkles of rain that moisten my face in the heat of the day. The eyes of the heart see love, feel love, touch love, hear love.

And finally, balance for my feet, steady, upright, strong to walk the path God has for me. “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps” Proverbs 16:9

Balance is harmony. Whether on terra firma or my beloved ice. Find your balance 😉