There\u2019s one thing this graybeard has learned\u2014the key is Balance. But, as I\u2019ve so often stated, \u201cEasier said than done.\u201d<\/p>\n
I recall a time in my own studies when I received the second of my two most treasured letters from Dadbo. The first was when I was an adolescent, but this second note was in response to my angst at the tremendous rigor of my undergraduate program. I could dig out the correspondence and include a quotation, but I won\u2019t. In some ways, the message that sticks with me now (and always) remains more profound. He took time to reinforce for me the old wisdom of \u201call work and no play.\u201d It was a lesson about Balance\u2014a lesson that he was still learning at an age (then) that was a bit less than mine (now). Within a relatively short time, he would suffer his first heart attack. Easier said than done.<\/em><\/p>\n Nobody worth listening to will tell us the journey toward balanced self-refinement is an easy one. I\u2019ve had my periods of 60-to-70-hour work weeks, as well as my indulgent\u2014and ultimately pointless\u2014excursions into doubt, fear, and denial. I guess it\u2019s part of the terrain, or it was for me. Sometimes there is no discernible outward difference between compulsive depletion and focused commitment, or between apathetic procrastination and therapeutic relaxation. I hate to admit it, but it\u2019s not always inwardly apparent either, although it usually is. The conscience is rarely fooled. Nevertheless, the intuition of the heart is not always equipped to pinpoint the nature of its discomfort, and can only signal that something doesn\u2019t feel right. We must continue to train our faculties of spirit and intellect to solve the puzzle of personal destiny. And, take it from me\u2014the whole thing can still look like a miserable mess without the proper physical component. It\u2019s quite amazing how a brisk walk, a long bicycle ride, or a mile in the pool can provide a fresh perspective on most troubling situations (not to mention the value of sound nutrition and a good night\u2019s rest).<\/p>\n
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