Letting go and exploring the world (The Balance Sheet, a Parents.com blog – 16 August 2011)

Parents_aws I recently guest-posted for Allison Winn Scotch's popular Parents.com blog, The Balance Sheet, about letting go and traveling with your kids.


I have a confession to make:  I consider ‘balance’ to be a bit of a dirty word.  Sure, I understand why it’s important.  As a single Mom, freelance writer and avid traveler, I run the risk of knocking my ‘balance’ out of whack on a daily basis.  (That’s why they invented wine, right?)  But, as I read about this elusive ‘balance’ in women’s magazines, listen to life coaches talk about it on television and see it mentioned as often as “loving long walks on the beach” on dating profiles, it feels more like pressure than release.  Think about it.  Balance is always described as some sort of end state.  You simply tweak a few things and—Voila!—you are in balance, complete with a strong career, happy kids and thinner thighs.  But as any former ballerina can tell you, balance is hard work.  There is never that promised end state—rather, balance is a continuous process involving focus, a strong core and an unyielding belief that you can do the impossible.  (Or, at the very least, the improbable).  Just the idea is exhausting…


Leave a Reply