The Balance of Life

Can life really balance? That would be so cool but probably doesn't happen to us very often in this busy, busy time of living we are in nowdays.
What made me think of this is how much fun we had last week with the grandkids here....
Sometimes you forget how precious the sound is of children (and teenagers) laughing, and playing and yes even scrapping at each other. The house is alive and vibrant with questions like: Can I have a snack - Make him stop bugging me - Can I get on the computer - Can I set the table for you, Grandma - and even the simple little sounds as a young man quietly builds a a big lanky alien out of plastic sticks before anyone but me is up.
Yes, the cat hides for the week and we trip over the unending pile of shoes by the door and the poor dishwasher says "what are you doing to me?"but we love every minute of it. Hang in there all you parents. Enjoy your children because before you know it you will have the other side of the coin. (Thanks for coming with the kids, Cathy)
Yes, the quiet side..... Just as preciously needed as the noisy side but a balance would be nice.
Yes, we need the side where we can stop and reflect on God's Word and what He is doing in our life daily and just days when we can wake up and say "there is nothing I really have to do today.
Believe it or not, that rarely happens around here even though we are retired. It seems our days are busier than when we both worked but at least that is our option.
What happened to the days when people sat on their porches in the evenings and watch the sun go down. The neighbors would go for a walk and stop for a chat. (That was even before my time, I'm afraid, but it sounds great.) Everybody knew everybody in the neighborhood.....
Now how many of us know very many if any of our neighbors more than to just maybe wave as they drive out the driveway. There needs to be a balance of busyness and noise verses the quiet and comtemplative hours in our lives where we can examine where we are in life and where are we headed.
Our recent storm really brought this home to me because without lights, heat and many other things for 36 hours your perspective changes. You know what happened !!! People actually talked to each other, opened their homes to those in need, helped in community food kitchens to get people fed and donated time to be sure others were safe by manning amateur radios all over town 24 hours a day to keep people in touch with the world when they no communications with all the phone lines down (yes, even 911 was the first thing to go).
So from enjoying laughing children to having quiet times alone with God and others we need balance in our lives. Time to enjoy, time to reflect and just time to live the lives God intended us to live - with balance in all things.
It's the tyranny of the urgent, folks ---- The urgent will always demand our attention and it must be done but the important sits quietly aside waiting for us to make time for it.

What is important in your life? MAKE time for it - whether it is taking time to love your kids or grandkids, visiting people, spending time alone with God, taking time to really talk to your spouse or friends without distractions or just personal time to think about where you are in life and how can you improve the quality time of you're own life or someone else's life you love.
How is your balance ??