# 10 Balance

I'm going to try to explain this, but I'm feeling inadequate. 

When I searched balance and writing, I discovered the topic mostly goes towards how to balance life so that I can write. I'm going to put only three links here, because I want to keep this a balanced post. *g* If I paste more links, then my balance is out the door. And so is yours, dear reader. So here they are. I'll continue what I am finding for myself below the links.
http://wanderingeyre.com/2011/07/25/balance-in-writing/  (I opened this one cause I once wrote a short story about an eagle and its eyre - how could I pass this up?)
http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/5-ways-to-balance-writing-and-life  (I opened this because a lot of what is on WritersDigest is pretty good)
http://www.nanowrimo.org/en
With National Novel Writing Month coming up, I think a lot of writers are trying to figure out how to balance their lives to accommodate this dedicated event.

Enough of the links and such. Let me begin with something that happened awhile back. I had friends who were totally religious. Good women. Dedicated to their families and their community. When they could. That was and is the crux of the matter. They prayed all the time. I came to realize they were obsessed (and fearful) and so they prayed to get through life. It worked for them.

The same is true with ice cream. I used to eat a lot of it. I became obsessed and fearful that if I didn't eat it, I wouldn't be happy, successful, whatever excuse I needed to keep eating ice cream.

I have since found that I pray when the spirit moves me. I feel the presence of the One or the Higher Power and I respond. Then - I do what the day calls for. I used to feel guilty that I wasn't praying more, or working more, or writing more, or whatever.

I've come to this conclusion. For me. If my spirit calls me to do something, I'll do it. Without regrets. Without becoming totally obsessed by the task. 

I've discovered that balance doesn't mean that 1/4 of my day is spent doing this, and another 1/4 is spent doing that, and another quarter - you get the drift. Balance means whatever is needed for today. If it's 100% writing, then that's the balance that day calls for. If it's playing with the little one, then that's what that moment calls for. 

It is so freeing. To not worry about whether my day is balanced according to the gurus. To be free to listen to my inner self and do what that self needs to do. 

Life is balance.

PS - Ch. 42 (Blue) is almost complete. Will work on it tomorrow, if the spirit so moves. Oh, I do so hope the spirit moves because these last few days have been so invigorating. And yet, I'll listen to that inner spirit, that Higher Power, and be balanced in the way I need to be for the moment, the hour, the day. Not the balance that this world would demand of me. Laden with guilt and exhaustion, but the balance that brings joy.

PSS - I realize after writing this that it corresponds with Ruiz's The Four Agreemeents #4 - Always Do Your Best. Incredible chapter. Sorry - I had to put the link!!!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Four-Agreements-Practical-Personal/dp/1878424319/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350792534&sr=8-1&keywords=the+four+agreements