The Gift of Rebalance
Simplicity and Balance
Reflection By Jan Kwiatkowski
Self-care is a divine responsibility.
- Anonymous
One January morning, while I was the chaplain at a retirement community, we had four deaths within four hours, two of which were totally unanticipated. In an attempt to tend to both family and staff needs, I was moving as fast as I could between ten floors, trying to be present while balancing it all. In the middle of all that activity, I stopped to grab my prayerbook, respond to my overflowing email and voice mail inboxes, and to dip in briefly to check Facebook. Providentially, the above quote appeared in my feed. God found a way to remind me that even in the whirlwind of pressing, urgent, competing needs, self-care was my responsibility.
One of my favorite Living Compass graphics is that of our mobile. The heart, soul, strength, and mind quadrants are the arms of the mobile with the corresponding eight areas of well-being hanging from each arm. Like any mobile, the pieces respond quickly to any movement, from gently dancing to wobbling wildly because of a gust of wind or busy hands. Yet no matter how wildly they move, if we reach out and bring even one of the pieces to stillness, the rest of the mobile will always slow down and rebalance. And so it is with our lives.
During this season of Advent, the many demands between family, work, church, community, and Christmas preparations can cause our internal mobiles to wobble, obscuring any semblance of balance. Yet, like the hand gently returning the mobile to rest, simple acts of self-care—such as a few deep breaths, walking slowly for a few minutes, or reciting the Lord’s Prayer—can serve to return us to internal balance. Anything we can do this season from a more balanced self is one of the best gifts we can offer.
Making It Personal: What were your first thoughts about today’s quote? Is there a particular area of well-being you feel is too wobbly right now? If yes, what is one simple practice you might use to recenter yourself throughout the day?