tension in balance

While talking with a wise old man the other day, okay he's about five years older than I am so that makes two old men talking together.

The idea of balance was being discussed and defined. Within the conversation it became obvious to me for the first time that to keep things in balance is to live with a certain level of tension.
This is not the first time I've understood tension in a relationship or circumstance to be necessary. I've never been one to run away from tension or confrontation. I understand that it is a part of life and a part of any relational connection that is going to continue to grow. I guess I never looked at tension is a necessary part of balance.
If you have a scale and on either side are equal parts thereby perfectly balanced, you also have a natural tension that each side wants to pull down the other but can't. That balance is maintained because of tension. And although the scale may rock gently from one side to the other the only way to alleviate the tension is to be completely out of balance.

I think a lot of people try to approach life in balance but what they really are trying to do is alleviate tension and you can't do both.
When people say that their life is out of balance and they're under a lot of stress, I think what they're saying is true because when there's no tension holding their life steady all the weight is on one side of the scale, and causing stress.

As I have kicked around this concept in the last couple of weeks it seems to fit just about every example I pass through its filter.
Walking in balance means living with an appreciating the tension that balance brings.

So enjoy the day stay balanced, enjoying the tension