“Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness and the word ‘happiness’ would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness.” – C.G. Jung
Ruminating on balance today with my Spiritual Journey Thursday group.
Balance doesn’t happen all in one day.
Like love, balance is a process.
I strive to be stable,
but some days are riddled with self-doubt.
Even in these sheltered days,
I lose sleep, lose faith, slip off the stack of stones
onto the cold hard floor of reality.
“It’s always about balance,”
says my daughter in defense of screen time.
My brother-in-law’s philosophy is “Eat a donut,
then have a grapefruit.”
After a long walk in the sun,
your body craves water,
water, water…
There are some balance rules
you must obey. Your body
is one of them.
In the chiaroscuro of light and dark,
we see clearly and in blurred lines
where our balance lies. Tip-toe in,
but don’t worry if you have to hold
onto the rails sometimes.
Reflections on the Teche 
Margaret, your poem offers me time to reflect on a your wise thinking:
Balance doesn’t happen all in one day.
Like love, balance is a process.
Sometimes, I rush the process thinking I can fix a situation but in reality the pseudo-fixing takes time and patience. It may not even work so balance comes in again. Your last stanza leads me to understand that. Great use of the word chiaroscuro.
Thanks, Carol. I wasn’t sure if this rambling made any sense at all.
I love the poem – the appeal to water has such deep physical and spiritual restorative benefits. Chiaroscuro is a favorite word, powerful in its stark contrasts, layers of shadow that define our lives as well as artwork. We define “balance” so differently because of our individual beliefs and experiences … and I especially appreciate the gentle,implicit reminder to walk in wisdom.
Wow, Margaret! This is so powerful, relatable, and moves me. Your words, “I lose sleep, lose faith, slip off the stack of stones/ onto the cold hard floor of reality” grabbed me and won’t let go! I agree with Fran on your references to water, which makes me think of the cleanliness of water. Thank you for sharing your spiritual words and letting me know that I can, “hold onto the rails sometimes.”
It’s a tough time to keep our balance, grateful to know it’s okay to hold the rails some of the time. “We see clearly and in blurred lines/ where our balance lies…” Lots to think about in your words.