Round up of Spiritual Thursday posts are with Fran Haley at lit bits and pieces.
Fran Haley is hosting today, and she proposed the theme of Balance.
Balance is something I search for in my daily life. Being an introvert, I crave alone time. I think that’s why I enjoy writing so much. Writing is a quiet alone-time activity, like walking my dog or meditating or taking a long bath. ( My husband jokingly said I would love a quarantine.)
One of my students gave me this beautiful journal for Christmas. I had it in my car until on Ash Wednesday, I had an idea to carry it with me into the service. I wrote during the sermon. I wrote again this past Sunday and will try to keep this going during Lent. The writing helped me listen in a different way. Kind of like taking notes, but I also allowed my own thoughts to enter in.
I also achieve balance through yoga and meditation. There are so many ways life can get in the way of living. Taking time for myself and clearing my busy brain helps me be a better me.
This weekend we were babysitting my 14-month-old grandson. By 5 in the afternoon, he was so tired that he could no longer keep his balance when walking. At first it was funny to him to walk quickly and fall, but it happened one time too many, and he ended up in tears. In a similar way, when I am exhausted, overstretched, and too busy, I get out of balance.
What ways do you use to keep your life in balance?
Reflections on the Teche 
Balance is a goal not an outcome in my world. But we are always reaching for our goals, right? Beautiful moments, like being with Leo, give a sense of what should be when all is right in the world. Thanks for the poetry and pictures.
PS If you have a slice, go rogue. 😉
I think a lot about how to balance writing, exercise and seeing friends. Meanwhile there is so much distraction. You remind us how balance is something we have to actively search for.
What a lovely happy little boy!
Thanks for this post. I try to make writing a lenten practice also, and I felt a kinship to you with the note-taking and your own thoughts coming in at the same time. That is such an interesting part of listening to sermons, that we go off on our own tangents so in a sense it is a conversation. Thanks again…
My obvious answer is that I keep my life in balance by writing, too. Whatever’s going on, it brings equilibrium back. It makes me a loner, too – how I crave silence and stillness to explore my own mind! I might enjoy a quarantine as well, alas (not that I’m inviting one, just sayin’). The journal is so beautiful as is your lavender poem and that grandbaby shot; they’ve blessed me this day.
Writing, yoga, meditation, and grandsons! All wonderful ways to keep one’s life in balance. This afternoon I managed to squeeze in an afternoon nap, a perfect way to calm myself. It was such a challenge to not use the time for commenting. I made myself leave my computer downstairs.
Margaret, your writing helps you listen in a different way. I liked this thought. It is within the silence of pen to paper or fingers to keyboard that we can dig deeper to find a moment of balance. Your little one is getting so big. I agree that busyness gets me out of balance, too.