Resources For Grief Blog

“Happiness is not a matter of intensity, but of balance and order and rhythm and harmony.”  ~Thomas Merton

When I visited Nova Scotia this fall, I discovered a small hidden beach filled with hundreds of cairns—human made piles of rocks or stones balanced on top of one another in various positions. Whether done as a form of meditation or as a hobby, stacking rocks takes patience and a knack for knowing the individual rocks—so I’ve been told. 

 I plan to put a photo of these beautiful and unique cairns on my desk in the new year to symbolize the beauty of a life in balance and to serve as my cue card when I feel off-kilter. This generally happens when I’ve given too much time to my business, volunteer involvements, and social engagements, and not enough time to activities that help me feel stable and grounded. These include fixing nutritious meals, exercising most days—out in nature when possible, sleeping 7-8 hours at night, reading every day for inspiration, attending weekly religious services, and spending quality time with family and friends. Yes, I can manage for short periods with these priorities on the back burner, but when it goes on for too long, irritability, anger, a depressed mood, and physical maladies start to surface. 

Just as stacking rocks takes patience and a knack for “knowing the rocks,” creating a life of balance requires perseverance and a knowing of ourselves, including what activities and interests help us maintain balance and harmony.

 Reflection: What symbolizes a life in balance for you? What symptoms are reminders that your life is off-kilter, and what practices bring back a sense of balance and stability? How do you incorporate these in the midst of your work as a caregiver?

Warmest regards in the New Year,

 Rebecca S. Hauder, RN, LCPC 

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