I remember watching The Ed Sullivan show as a kid. I loved the comics and the rock bands the most. But probably the most fascinating was the plate jugglers. I’d watch them frantically add plate after plate and keep each one spinning aloft until the stage was full. The thrill was in the anticipation of them all crashing to the floor, but they never did to my recollection. It was a true wonder.
Life can be like that too. We devote energy to keeping all our plates spinning because we can (or we think we can). We immerse ourselves in the actions of the “busy,” but to what end? Do we do it because we want to see if we still can—or do we do it with purpose and meaning?
If we allow it, Chapter X can be a time of controlled activity with purpose. It need not be lofty, but if it is to have meaning, it’s purposeful. Purpose can simply be to play a better game of pickleball or enjoy reading a book.
As you head into the next chapter, ask yourself if you’re keeping your plates spinning because it’s just what you’re used to…or if there’s a real purpose behind all that frenetic energy.
