Recently, Renee of FIMBY wrote a post Forget About Balance. It was a powerful one to read, because I hadn't sat and thought about balance as being a matter of perspective. That some people might not be balanced, but not because they lack it, but because it simply doesn't exist for them. I love that thought. Renee writes that she and her family try to "move forward with what is most important right now and let go of the rest." I think this is wonderful. To me, this is the same thing as living in balance. It is what I am striving for and taking steps toward. I am getting closer every single day.
As I was reading Renee's post, the story my mom has shared with me and keeps close as she strives to be balanced came to my mind. I, too, love this story and its recurring theme of rocks is one I love:
A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him. When class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, rocks about 2" in diameter.
He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks. The students laughed.
The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled everything else. "Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this is your life." "The rocks are the important things - your family, your partner, your health - anything that is so important to you that if were lost, you would be nearly destroyed. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else. The small stuff."
"If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles, and the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your energy and time on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your wife out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal."
"Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
(I believe this is an excerpt from First Things First, by Stephen Covey)
February: I cut back on my daytime computer use.
March: I focused on our family's diet and nutrition.
April: My goal was to get back to exercising. I was successful with this through May, but June was somewhat pitiful, as was July. August was much improved!
May: My goal was sleep. This has improved and although not back to normal,the kids' sleep is getting better bit by bit as well.
June: I extended my sleep and exercise goals into the month of June and this might be the first month I did not succeed as well as I would have liked with my monthly goal.
July: I, again, extended sleep and exercise goals into July. I added food stockpile consumption, as well.
August: My main goal this month is our re-working our budget. I am continuing to work on this, as we have some changes and some plans in mind that affect it greatly. With the end of summer, I should say that my summer manifesto was a successfully handy list for reminding me to have fun!
September: I am going to focus on the rocks in my life this month. (See story, above.) I am also focusing on food, again, this month, which was not a planned focus prior to the Celiac diagnosis I received.
A lovely group of women have joined with steps of their own towards balance and flow. I have enjoyed reading the progress reports some of you are writing! It is never to late to join.
April's Month in Review detailed our monthly goals leading up to the Earth Day finale of One Small Change.
Groceries:
$508.35. The garden has been doing nicely and we have been eating down the pantry, while I am still eating gluten, but I bought some items for Lala's school and for some projects I am working on, all of which I decided were appropriate to come out of this budget category. The last few months, I have exceeded $500, so I am really fiddling with our budget now as I am realizing this is not the category I want or am able to reduce right now.
Acquired New:
- Baby/Pregnant Mamma gifts for our sister-in-law
- Baby gifts for a friend
- Plan Toys airport toy
- Several shirts and capris for me
- PFD for Lala
- Plan Toys dolls
- Cook book
- Shoes for Lala
- Shirt and fleece for Finnian
- Socks, jacket, shirts for Finnian. Thanks, Karen!
- PJs for Finnian
- Double stroller (sold)
- Assorted household, kid, and clothing items (as ongoing into the box under my bed)
