How on earth could I miss the designation of July 17 as World Juggling Day?!?!?
Did you miss it, too? I mean, we’re all juggling something … mostly life. Not even counting a pandemic, we keep so many balls in the air these days that it’s almost impossible to suck in the oxygen we need to survive.
Our neck aches from looking up, and our arms and hands can’t control the exhausted quivering muscles that are ready to snap any second. We … can … only … go … on … for … so … long ….
Then we snap and drop everything. The balls (or whatever) scatter and roll away, usually under something that’s too big to move by ourselves. While we’re using a broom handle to snag the ones under the fridge, our pets cheer as we find their long-lost toys instead of our own … swishing their tails in our face as we roll on the floor collecting dust bunnies that only come out to play when we’re down for the count.
Our pets’ priorities are so simple: eat, sleep, pee, poop, play. Ours are the aforementioned plus more than our number of fingers and toes … times 1,000. Actually, we can’t even count the number of our life’s priorities … because they change and virtually multiply every day. Because we’re THE humans.
However, I believe some individuals lack brain cells that govern empathy and compassion especially toward those of us who occasionally succumb to overwhelm. I think that keeps some people from admitting they’re only human and dropped their balls (or whatever) … fear of being mocked, judged, criticized and ignored. Those fears dig deeper inside us because we don’t want to reveal our weaknesses.
Trying to hide the REAL us kills us cell by cell. Juggling too much is akin to the proven failure of multi-tasking. Shucks, I thought I was a multi-tasking master for years … until my balls (or whatever) fell from my orbit. I didn’t have the energy to run after them as they rolled into the street and were run over … or got lost in the grass and were kidnapped by curious squirrels … now buried with the nuts in the yard …
When was the last time you let down your guard, shut down your ego and cried until your soul released every tear of pain? When was the last time you sat in the middle of the floor or laid in bed and told yourself to just let go? When was the last time you called a friend or family member and said, “I need someone to listen to me … to talk to … to laugh and cry with. Can you be that person?”
Only then can you finally look at all the balls (or whatever) that lay scattered and decide which ones are really worth tossing into the air again. The need for an immaculately clean house? Let it play with the dust bunnies. Signing up for one more activity that keeps you and your family apart? Count the stars in the sky instead. Trying to impress in-laws? Give it up now and go play with the nuts in the yard.
I juggle only when necessary … preferring to snuggle instead. Far fewer injuries to body, mind and soul … and I hang out with folks who have feelings, compassion, empathy and appreciation for the important stuff in life … human connections, the blessings of which are everything they’re cracked up to be.
But I can’t play with you until I find the rest of my cat’s toys under the fridge …
Hey, drop me a line at [email protected] or leave a comment below. I’d love to speak to your group, organization or company about working our way through the pain and challenges of everyday life. You want straight talk? You got me!
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