The Middle Way

In the Buddhist philosophy, they talk about the Middle Way. My interpretation of this concept is that if you are to lax, or to overzealous in your efforts to reach enlightenment you will never get there. The middle way is the way of balance.

In life I think we are all seeking balance whether we know it or not.

In my life, it's quite apparent on Wednesdays, when I set aside my afternoon to hang out with my sister. She is developmentally disabled, (she wonders who thought of that "PC" label which she and most of her friends can't even say), and bowls on an ARC league. We get together early in the day and go to lunch, hang out, then go to bowling.

By Wednesday,I'm caught up in "Busy". I'm an entrepreneur. This means I'm the boss, office staff, accountant, marketing department, sales force and custodial staff for my own business. I'm a doctor and as much as it may suprise most people, a doctor's office is a business. So on top of the aforementioned, I also have patient management and paperwork. Now add in the stressors that we all have like relationships, finances, home maintenance etc. etc. etc. and I'm certainly in need of some balance.

When Wednesday comes I try to put aside my "stuff", and be in the moment. My goal is to focus on my sister and have a fun, stress free afternoon so she's relaxed and ready to bowl.

Yesterday I found myself challenged to put aside the "stuff". I know you all know what I mean. When you are consciously trying to be in the moment yet your mind meanders all over the place, here and there, pointing out challenges ahead or flaws in your planning or what you forgot to do yesterday.

My sister is very smart and perceptive, and about the third time the car got really quiet and I realized she was looking at me waiting for a response to something I didn't even hear, she asked me what was up.
"Just stuff on my mind"
"that's OK, sometimes I got stuff on my mind too"
"everybody has stuff on their minds sometimes"
"Yep, you are not smiling"
"well, let's do something fun to take my mind off my stuff"
"Like What?"

We went to the arcade and I taught my sister to play air hockey.
Once she got the hang of it we giggled and squealed our way right into the moment. We were present. We were one with the game and the "stuff" was gone.

When my sister started her bowling later that afternoon, she started off strong with a 9, a 9, and a spare. Then she threw a few that were off.
One to the right, one to the left, I said
"hey, you are supposed to throw it down the middle"
She replied with
"I'm having trouble finding the middle"

I know exactly what she means.