May 5, 2016

The Ballad of Life's Balance

I once heard someone says that life is all about maintaining balance. I couldn't agree more. But I can't refrain myself from sighing, acknowledging how difficult maintaining balance in life is.

Physics taught me two different states of balance (which are known as equilibrium states).

The 1st kind of equilibrium, called a stable equilibrium, is a state of balance that is not easily disturbed. When a small disturbance is introduced to the system, it will quickly and naturally return to its balance state. Just like an object in a bowl being pushed to one side. After several oscillations, it returns to the centre of the bowl, which is the equilibrium position.

The other state of balance is the unstable equilibrium. Upon introduction of small disturbance, the system will most likely be driven to one side and never return to its balance state.

I wish life gives us the first type of equilibrium.

Unfortunately that's not the case. Life is so easily drifted to one side. Human have preference. We prefer something over another. We value one and belittle others. We have favorites. And I guess that's what makes us human.

So how do we keep balance in our life?

Many marriages fail because one or both spouses are unable to keep a good balance between work and family life. Students fail school due to their inability of balancing their study and social/play time. What it takes is a little tilt, and the whole thing collapses!

Years of ballet and body balance classes taught me that it takes practice to maintain balance. Strained muscles, focused sight, and determination are required to keep you from falling.

May we all become life-long learners who, through successes and failures, relentlessly try to master life balancing. And we shall not forget that falling is just part of the long process.


~ by Eliana Maria


"Life is about balance." (Ezra Brown)