Balance
written by Kate H.
“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.” -Thomas Merton
Balance is something that is often forgotten during this busy time of the year. School is in full swing and for seniors, college applications are staring to be due…not to mention preparation for the upcoming holidays. Merton’s quote is a great reminder that “happiness” will not come from putting all of your effort in one place. Rather, it is important to participate in varying activities that peak your interest. Too often I tell myself that I will relax “later,” but for the next few days or weeks I need to stay focused on a certain project. Knowing you should live a balanced life is a lot easier than actually doing so. It is difficult to balance activities. Ultimately, it is your life, and your happiness should take priority over anyone’s expectations. Although it takes practice and deliberate decisions to make time for yourself, it is of the utmost importance to live a healthy, balanced life.
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” -Albert Einstein
Einstein says that balancing life is like riding a bicycle, but another useful analogy is a gymnast on a balance beam like in the photo. If the gymnast leans too far one way or the other, she will fall off. She must spread her arms out on each side to remain balanced. If she becomes unsteady while walking, she will stop to balance herself. In a similar way, living an unbalanced life halts forward progress. We cannot become too focused on only one side of our lives. If we spend too much time on work, we will fall off balance. Likewise, if we spend too much time watching TV we fall. But if we spread ourselves out and work hard towards school or work and also take time to read or watch TV we will remain balanced and it will be easier to keep moving forward.