The Happy Balance

I was visiting my local dermatology office and found myself sifting through the various magazines. I recognized “SELF” because my sister had the same issue with her when she stayed for the long Easter weekend. I love Gwyneth Paltrow and found myself engrossed in her few page spread.

In particular, there was a section where she was talking about how she had some mood disturbances. She knew she had a problem with diet and life balance because she would curse in traffic and get in fights with hangers. I’m not here to belittle anyone’s mental breakthrough by any means, and I’m absolutely sure there had to be much more going on, but I couldn’t help to think those things are pretty normal.

No matter how clean I eat, how thin I am, how happy I am - I get slight road rage and certainly get riled when stupid things happen, like my husbands tangled coat hangers. I don’t think anything of it. If anything, it’s a tension release and it makes me laugh hysterically. I think it’s one thing to blow out a few profane words in a moment of instant heat, then it’s over, compared to, maybe, crying all day about it? I’m still unclear about exactly what was going on with her exact situation.

I don’t know. I guess where I was going with this is, do we place too much emphasis on perfection? Rearranging our entire lives because of any rise in temp, any fall? I see people running for the pills, running for the crazy diets, cleansing, etc…to balance. Balance, balance, balance: emotionally, physically...

I’m pretty sure in the cleanest of ages [Stone Age maybe??], when a webbed toe was stumped, there was some grunting and chest pounding going on. So where’s the divide? When is the grouchiness and tears, too much? What is true balance?