Once upon a time, as I waited my turn for some minor surgery (major for me, minor for everyone 
else), my doctor stopped by the gurney and asked how I was doing. “Fine”, I lied, and then added “More importantly, how are YOU doing?” His simple reply -“Balanced.”
Hospitals have really good drugs, and the next thing I remember is staring at a wall in an unfamiliar room, sucking on ice chips. Much later, I learned that “balanced” is a layman’s translation of “homeostasis”, a medical term denoting a reasonably stable state of equilibrium among the various elements of an organism. My surgeon had a reputation for a fiery temper, so balanced was a good way to start our morning.
Whether you’re a gymnast or an accountant, balance is desirable. I am neither, but the accountant for our Homeowner’s Association does send me a quarterly statement which has two pages of numbers. One is labeled assets, the other liabilities. I just know that the exact same number will appear at the bottom of each page. I assume someone has labored diligently to achieve this goal, although I have no clue what they do when the numbers don’t match. Somehow it just works, and the whole thing puts my mind at ease until the next statement arrives. Balance happens. Life is good.
