Teeter-totter

Temperance.  The forefathers of our country wrote of it; Greeks philosophized about it; our biblical ancestors testified of it.  But in our highly competive culture of self-indulgence and immediate gratification, it is a virtue often overlooked and even forgotten.  So we have heard of it, but really, what is temperance? And why the heck do I bring it up?  (And what does it have to do with teeter-totters, for crying out loud?)

In Greek, temperance means "moderation or restraint in thought and action."  Modernly, it has been used to describe self-restriction from alcohol (Temperance Movement) and food in general (health).  Again, we know what it means, but why do we find Americans (and people today in general) overfed, overworked, overstimulated, and undersatisfied, undermotivated, underslept, and under-available to spend time doing things that matter most?

Truly, the old proverb applies: there must be a balance in all things.  Life is a balancing teeter-totter though, isn't it?  Rest would become boring without work and success would not matter nearly as much if we had never experienced failure.  If there was no bitter, we could never taste the sweet; without sorrow, there is no true happiness.

And while Life tries to shove 'balance,' (or opposition), in our face, we strive to achieve that perfect balance of all our endeavors.  I believe that's truly our task of humanity--to demonstrate temperance in everything we do; to moderate both the less-meaningful as well as the important roles, choices, and actions we pursue.  And so I say, achieve balance, practice temperance, and keep your teeter tottering & your totter teetering.  "Live the 'good' life."

"The best and safest thing is to keep a balance in your life, acknowledge the great powers around us and in us. If you can do that, and live that way, you are really a wise man."    Euripides