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Without Balance, We
Totter
by Hubert
Pryor |
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SoulfuLiving's subject this season of Living Life in
Balance turns our attention to one of the basic
principles of
serenity. And that principle itself can be ascribed to
what indeed lies at the kernel of soulful living.
Serenity requires us to keep an open mind to all
proposed principles of life without being a slave to
any. And it is only
in such a balanced way of life that we can be open to
all forms of wisdom.
The ancient Greeks, especially among other time-tested
philosophers, gave our civilization our aspiration to
wisdom. They
explored all avenues of the human mind's understanding
of life and how to enjoy it. And their conclusion: Do
nothing to
excess.
Our own inspired United States Constitution, from the
beginning, acknowledged the need for balance. Alexander
Hamilton
commented that "the introduction of legislative balances
and checks" was among the "means, and powerful means, by
which the
excellences of republican government may be retained and
its imperfections lessened or avoided."
Translate that into our own individual lives and we have
an inspired principle to live by.
We believe in nothing to the exclusion of any
possibility better than what we think best. We do
nothing to excess,
certainly nothing unvirtuous, and wisely not even if we
think it right. The answer to all, in other words, lies
in a Wisdom
beyond our human understanding. We profit by
open-mindedness, though not by inaction. We do what we
think is right, but are
open to what might be better.
By balance, in its simplest terms, we survive the storms
of life. In a gale, we extend our arms in balance so we
won't be
blown over. And in a crisis, our minds open up their
wings to explore all ways of escape or relief.
Even in such personal matters as overindulgence, we
profit by balance, maybe even survive. Not many of us
can plead
innocence of greed. One slice of chocolate cake is
wonderful. Maybe even one-and-a-half. But after two or
more we live to
regret the extra bloating.
Let us mind the words attributed to A. B. Zu Tavern:
"A well-balanced person never does any single thing to
the exclusion of everything else. He has learned that
the enjoyment
of anything is lost just the moment he gets too much of
that thing. He quits eating before he becomes completely
satisfied.
He watches constantly his balance, or poise."
Speaking more directly, we might just say: "Never too
little and never too much. If we're off balance, we may
need a
crutch."
©Copyright 2005 Hubert
Pryor. All Rights Reserved.
Hubert Pryor is a retired editor of national
magazines--Modern Maturity and Science Digest among
others--Hubert Pryor is the author of SOUL TALK:
Positive Mind Treatments to Turn Your Life Around
(available through DeVorss & Co., 553 Constitution
Ave., Camarillo, CA 93012, 800-843-5743, www.devorss.com)
and a forthcoming book, SERENITY 101: Spiritual
Wisdom, Ancient and Modern, for Peace of Mind Today.
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