Balance
This heat wave has inspired me to write about balance.
When we experience extremes of any kind, our instinct is to quickly regain equilibrium. To combat the oppressive heat, we've closed the curtains, turned on the air conditioner, filled the kiddie pool, and enjoyed popsicles in the shade. The temperature outside is beyond our control, but the way we experience it—as people with access to shelter and modern comforts—is something we can influence.
Our bodies are constantly working to maintain homeostasis without us even realizing it. In the same way, we spend our lives adjusting our physical, emotional, and mental environments to keep ourselves healthy and grounded. We recognize that too much or too little of almost anything is unsustainable: too much heat, too much junk food, too little sleep, too little time outdoors, too little connection with others. An unbalanced life eventually catches up with us.
Yet the extremes we seek to temper also have something to teach us. Not every discomfort is something to escape. Some situations call for relief, while others call for endurance. There are seasons when the healthiest thing we can do is remain where we are, allowing hardship to deepen our patience, strengthen our character, and remind us of our dependence on God. Discomfort is not always an obstacle to overcome.
These seasons also spark gratitude. When our household comes down with a sickness, good health feels like a gift instead of an expectation. After days of stifling heat, a gentle breeze is met with appreciation. We rarely notice comfort until we've experienced discomfort.
I believe that is by design. Balance is essential, but so are the moments that disrupt it. Without contrast, many of life's simple joys would lose their significance. We need seasons of abundance and scarcity, work and rest.
Eventually the heat will break, as all seasons do. Until then, there is as much to learn in enduring the weather as there is in escaping it.
