It’s All About Balance

Posted on by Wynne Leon

The other day I was idling at a stop light when I young woman crossed the street in front of me carrying a snow board. She had it so perfectly balanced that it looked effortless. In fact, she had a backpack on and a coffee in her other hand so she was encumbered in other ways but didn’t look overburdened.

It reminded me of the quote:

It’s not the load that weighs you down, it’s the way you carry it.

C.S. Lewis

And I thought of the things I’ve learned from people I’ve traveled with who are experts at carrying loads:

  1. Strengthen your core. Which in metaphorical terms I think is knowing your “why.”
  2. Keep it balanced. There’s always the temptation when someone hands you yet one more thing to just stuff it in an outer pocket without thinking. But if going any distance, it’s worth taking the time to question whether it is something you are willing to carry and to stow it properly. Metaphorically speaking, I think this relates to our boundaries.
  3. Rest at regular intervals. You can’t lean over to get water from a stream with a backpack weighing you down or eat a full meal with a cinched waist belt. The mind needs to know when the next break is. The body needs to stretch back to its uncompressed shape. Taking time for those two things helps the soul provide the magic for moving forward.

Have you thought about the load you carry? It can be taking care of others, managing through illness, or processing trauma and grief. It might be worry for a specific person, how we are going to navigate the future, or concern for the world overall. Maybe all of the above.

Seeing that young woman carrying a snow board reminded me of when I was new to mountain climbing and my friend, Jill, and I decided to climb Mt. St. Helens. It was an early spring day so it was snowy but warmed up quickly. As we climbed, we kept removing gear and stowing it in the closest pocket or clip, never bothering to properly stow it. We were so enthused about getting to the top that we forgot the disciplines that make it easier. But the time we neared the top, we had stuff sticking out of everywhere. We were one stumble away from exploding into a yard sale all over the slope.

Yep, there’s an art to carrying things well.

38 thoughts on “It’s All About Balance”

  2. There is much wisdom in this. Thanks, Wynne. The question it prompted was how to reach those individuals who don’t take their share of the load and, on the other side, those who take on more than they can manage. And, to both of these groups, why? Your essay provides a spot-on starting place.

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      1. Nah, I didn’t synthesize anything. You did all the heavy lifting, I just stole your language. You’re right too. Balance is such a big topic, it’s tricky too. When I think I’ve got it wrapped up and know all about it, it pushes me down the mountain and sends me flying this way and that. Best not to get too cocky. Ha, ha.

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  8. I love the analogy you’ve made to balancing and carrying our burdens in life. You also reminded me of camping near a surfing beach in Southern California and watching guys on bicycles riding up or down a steep hill while carrying surf boards.

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  11. I loved this post, Wynne. Thank you for writing it. While I loved my career, it took retirement for me to realize out of balance my life had become. I became a workaholic and wanted to help as many children as possible because there was such a need. One of the primary reasons I’m happier and healthier now is because of balance. At some point, I decided to love myself as much as I did my students. I’ll continue to contribute something positive to the world (everyone should), but I’m also mindful to never let my life get out of balance again.

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    1. What an insightful comment, Pete! That work-life balance is so important. I can see how the needs of the kids could be such a strong pull for you given your passion for helping. But you’re right – we need to love ourselves too!

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  15. Oh I do love this, Wynne. Also reminds me of the saying “work smarter not harder.” Life can be hard, for sure, but the technique to carrying the weight can make a difference in how we face and overcome those challenges indeed!

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