Gotta have GAS

One of the more-intriguing aspects of life: the always-present issue of balance. If you think of any area of our lives, somewhere inside it is a need for, or a resistance against, balance.

My wife, the amazing Julia Rogers Hamrick, is big on the concept of allowing, of surrendering control to the aspect of ourselves which is always connected to the All That Is, or Great Mind. We usually refer to our connection as our Higher Self.

It struck me this morning that one of the balancing aspects to that idea of going with the flow and letting life be easy requires of us more than ease and relaxation. Of course, that's the nature of the yin/yang, give and take, push and pull. Life is all about the contrasts and contradictions.

When we are able, though, to allow the seemingly contradictory feelings to coexist, we can end up in a really cool place.

While allowing our daily lives to flow and move with a rhythm of their own, we also can be passionate about what happens and care a great deal about outcomes.

In fact, it is the very passion we feel welling up in us which helps the river decide its direction and speed. It is our GAS (Give A Shit) factor.

If you don't GAS, you don't enjoy the ride of the leaf on the water nearly as much.

We trip up when we care so much that we demand total control and take the wheel. It's a challenge being easy and free, yet caring a whole lot at the same time. When you are in that sweet spot, though, there is nothing finer.