Balancing Act

Balancing Act

Written and Photographed by Cassia Sherrill

Growing up,

We learn about good and bad.

Joy and sadness.

Pain and celebration.

Love and hate.

If we leaned too far one way,

We felt rewarded.

Happy.

Celebrated.

Loved.

If we leaned too far the other way,

We felt punished.

Sad.

Hurt.

Unloved.

As a kid,

It seemed simple.

We either were one or the other.

Only those two options.

But I recall Dr. Seuss

Saying “Step with care and great tact.

And remember that life’s

A great balancing act.”

As I have grown,

I realize more and more

How much life is a great

Balancing act.

We need the mixture.

The perfect combination of the two sides.

We need the balance.

We have to weigh one side against the other.

In a balancing act,

Your body has to work together

In a harmony

To keep the balance.

To get to the other side.

In this harmony,

You rely on your feet

To step forth

One foot in front of the other.

In this act,

You utilize your

Outstretched arms

To keep your body upright.

In this balance,

You clear your head.

You don’t focus on leaning from one side

To the other.

Because in life,

It is the same.

The two extremes have to live

In harmony.

You cannot acknowledge the good without the bad.

You cannot have true joy without having known sadness.

You cannot appreciate the celebration without knowing how to overcome pain.

You cannot accept love without pushing away all of the hate.

You cannot fully appreciate one without the other.

The positive and the negative.

You need them both

To fully live a healthy, balanced life.

It is hard to see the good of the balance sometimes.

We beat ourselves up

When we lean too far one way,

Or we fall off when leaning the other way.

But we mustn’t fret.

We are human,

And it will take time to fully grasp the balance.

But until then, remember that life’s a great balancing act.

It is in getting back up

And trying again and again

Despite everything

That makes the act worth watching.

Model: Nicky Johnson

*I do not own the rights to Dr. Seuss quote. Used only as a reference.