Balance in movement

When my daughter was younger, her father and I had a complicated co-parenting agreement that allowed both of us to see her every day.

In many ways, it was fantastic: it shifted the burden of divorce onto us, as we had to coordinate a home-life that separated us from each other, but not from our child. But of course it required the kind of collaboration that can be hard for anyone, and even harder when you feel hurt or alone.

As our child grew older, the center of gravity moved. She needed more time with her friends, school, and extracurricular activities, and we had to change our agreement to adjust.

The point of this is not to say that we were perfect co-parents. In fact, I can’t say that we always did super well. However, we always tried hard, and, on the whole, I think we managed to create some balance.

And that is the point: balance in an ever-changing context.

Whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually, maintaining balance requires constant awareness. Centers of gravity are not constant. Our own strength and flexibility change. Even stillness requires effort and support.

I am thinking of this today as I mourn the imminent shift in my daily routine. Re-finding balance will require flexing muscles I might not know I had. It’s all part of a dance.