March 2014
March 2014
From the Dragon’s Den
I used to be good at balancing. A wall, a kerb, a ledge; and later – balance beams in a gym, benches; headstands, handstands – oh the joy.
Well, I used to be good at balancing! So, where did it go?
A wonderful sight is that of a young child as he or she manages to ‘find his/her feet’. We see them at Little Dragons as they shuffle, scramble and stagger towards the endgame of balancing on two feet and, even more spectacularly, moving forwards – or backwards – on those two feet. There is so much more to see, and get hold of, when one is a little higher than the floor. Life is so exciting when one can see, aim at and arrive at a desired object.
As life goes on we take for granted the skills of walking, running, jumping, leaping, dancing. We use our skill of balance without giving it a thought. We hurl ourselves through the days, changing direction and level at speed. Until ………………………..
……………………….. perhaps the day comes when we are unable to do these things. Hopefully this is a temporary measure but very frustrating. When, suddenly, one has to consider how to get from a to b (only a couple or three feet) without falling over and possibly further damaging oneself; or one has to consider how one might ascend or descend the stairs without creating an avalanche of limbs, or plaques from the wall, thus frightening everyone within a thirty foot radius; when the balance that has come so easily for many years has suddenly deserted one. How much worse if this is to be a permanent state.
A balanced life is much to be desired. Not just physical balance but, probably of greater importance, a balanced mind. It is easy to feel the loss of that balance when we are surrounded by the stresses of modern life, when worries leap out at us from the most unexpected places, when life seems to be tough.
Pondering on this I had a sudden thought, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” There is support out there for all who need; be we the toddler aiming at first steps, or someone of greater years who is struggling to get by. We are not alone. If we hold out our hand and allow others to grasp it we may find the comfort and support that we need.
Val Butterworth
