My sister and I were talking on the phone recently (via bluetooth, of course) while each of us were alone in our cars stuck in traffic in two different cities; trust me…her traffic in Boston is much worse than mine.  In typical big-sis fashion (and to illustrate a point with something on her mind), I waxed eloquent on a story first shared by an educational mentor of mine nearly 40 years ago.  Mrs. Kathleen Bailey (I miss you still), on my very first day as a “baby teacher” offered this powerful analogy on a balanced life…

Imagine your life is a game whereby you juggle five balls constantly.  The balls are work, family, health, friends, and faith/spirituality.  You work relentlessly to keep all five balls in the air.  One day, you come to understand work is a rubber ball; if you drop work, it inevitably bounces back.  The other four balls are made of glass.  If you drop one of these, it is scuffed, damaged, or even completely shattered.  You have the beginning of a balanced life when you authentically accept the lesson of the five balls.

What’s a story or analogy from your experiences you gratefully acknowledge as a compass for balancing all the parts of your life?  

I am so thankful to have spent 34 years in a career I genuinely loved.  Even though there were days I absolutely didn’t like and definitely never-ever wanted to repeat, the lesson of the five balls was my saving grace.  Here’s hoping we all keep juggling while kindly helping each other…and by the way, all the balls I juggle now are beautifully stained glass.  🙂