Just when I think I have it, something shifts and my world tilts again. It may be something here in our home, a sick pet or my husband talking a fall. It may be something local, our county politics trigger me often. It may be something on a national or global scale such as a war on the other side of the world that reinforces how fragile our societies really are. Whatever the event, my tenuous hold is shaken and it takes time to find that balance again. Time that I don’t really have while trying to maintain a healthy home environment and care for my husband.

I could shut off outside influences to minimize the distractions but that makes our world smaller. Instead, I need to work on my perspective. I am not going to be able to solve the climate crisis or world politics, but I do need to be conscious of the issues. Having knowledge and awareness encourages me to drive less, use my voice to share my concerns and vote whenever I can for people who share my values.  

A diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease brings an uncertain future. Added to that is the fact that there are always going to be things happening that I don’t have influence over. I can’t stop my dog from aging or my husband from falling any more than I can control global issues, but I can control my responses and act calmly rather than overreact. When things get off-kilter, I can look at options I do have, choose the best one and act on it with positive intention. Life is full of quicksand opportunities, I need to know that I can find my balance anyway through conscientious, thoughtful action.