Back To The Center

I am finally getting back to the center.  I am emotionally rebuilding, getting back to being chiefly mindful of the core of my purpose and existence, back to balance. 

Center meaning:

a)   the middle of something; midway between sides

b)   to come to a focus; converge; concentrate

c)   a point, area, person, or thing that is most important or pivotal in relation to an indicated activity, interest, or condition

I often talk about the need to have balance and to be centered to stay afloat, to thrive.  When I talk about that balance I am thinking of a holistic view of life… work, mind, body, family… anything that concerns you, anything in your universe.  My center balance comes from finding a peaceful heart space while spending time with God.  So after discussing this with a close friend about this topic I identified that my intimacy with God is my center anchor. It is what bring me back in alignment, it keeps me from going off the deep end. 

Staying in the center means not to sway too far in any direction.  Going too far in any direction will always mean needing to recover… positive or negative.  Have you ever met someone so positive they were utterly delusional and imbalanced? Or someone so perpetually negative that they suck the energy out of the room with their very existence, words, deeds, facial expressions, spirit?  I believe there is a center channel to life that is a key to consistent happiness. Staying centered does not mean to be lukewarm, apathetic or to lack intensity in any way.  It doesn’t mean there won’t be any trials or problems either.  It is more about being focused on your desire to be stable, steady, sound…centered. 

I use phrases like centered between strength and weakness or between submission and control. I spoke to my son recently about trying to find his center between confidence and humility.  Often we get so focused on accomplishing and pushing that we forget to balance it with rest and play, anything imbalanced has the potential to be lopsided… look for the center.   

  

Children being raised need appropriate balances of softness and sternness, understanding and discipline, encouragement and correction, so my logic says that the strength is in the center.  I think the concept of centering and balance is often overlooked and that omission causes a disproportion that is at the root of lots of dysfunction, disconnect, and disparities.      

For me right now staying centered means to gracefully endure change and pain, to remain strong and protect myself from letting outside forces harden my heart.  Sometimes we take paths and make choices that throw us out of sync with the center of our purpose.  While we may have had the purest of intentions concerning the situations we find ourselves in, we need to find the meaning in the negative or painful experiences and with God’s help try to find the center of it.  We don’t experience things in life for naught, glean from it all and then correct anything that knocked you off track.  

So…. during this time of rebuilding I am choosing to use everything that has happened as a catalyst for me to reach heights unforeseen.  This last chapter had the potential to do some serious permanent damage but it did not and will not... it gave me more strength for the journey, it built parts of my character.  I am not done yet.  I am working on finding my center.