IF I ONLY DRANK COFFEE AND READ THE PAPER

You know that feeling you get when you get off one of those rides at the amusement park that spins you in circles really fast? It's that feeling that your head is spinning and you can't quite stand up straight. Once you stand still, focus, and give your body a chance to readjust, you can regain your balance. You can once again, stand up straight, walk straight, and that spinning sensation in your head stops.

What about when your life is out of balance? For me, the feelings are very similar. The thoughts in my head are going 100 miles an hour. I lose the ability to focus on anything, much less the things that are most important. I can't find my true direction (my true North) so I pretty much end up chasing my own tail. I become irritable, withdrawn and unable to function as the person I want to truly be. So how do I fix it? How do I get my life back in balance?

Here is where you are expecting some insightful comment. Here is where I wish I had one. The truth is I don't know. I do know, however, that it MUST be so much more than just balancing work and home. It must include all of the things above in this handy little picture. But how in the world do you go about achieving that. Do you say "one hour a day is for friends, one for my husband, one for my kids?" It is exhausting just thinking about it. Is there an easier way?

Now don't laugh, but I have an image in my head of what the perfect start to the day looks like. I would love to wake up each and every morning, go sit on my eastward facing deck, watch the sun rise, drink a warm cup of coffee in solitude and read the morning paper. Now there are only two problems with that perfect morning. I don't read the paper and I don't drink coffee. You said you wouldn't laugh. Alright, you can! I do every time I think of that and try to figure out why I still have that fantasy.

Seriously, where do we get the images of what a peaceful, perfect, balanced life looks like? Sometimes it is hard to distinguish what is truly my desires and what has been burned in my head by some movie, some book, your pastor or somebody else. All the lines begin to blur after a while.

So where does that leave me for now. For now all I know to do is when I feel like I can't stand up and my head is spinning, I hurry up and plan to get away. It seems to be the only time I can truly disconnect from all of the noise in my head and life and listen to who I truly am. I long for the day that I can do that right now, right where I sit, at any moment.

I hope that you have your life in balance. I hope you find time for all of the important things in your life. And if you have time to share your comments or suggestions, I truly welcome them and appreciate them. Thanks for sharing your time with me!