Moderation

In some ways, moderation is something that has been invisible to me. Yet, I am a moderate.

See, I am way above average in many areas, but not a prodigy in any of them. For instance, I might appear an extreme runner to many many people, I really am not at the very extreme of either distance or speed. I am really really good at engineering, but lack certain other business motivations which would allow me to have a stellar career. I love spirituality but because I don't live in a monastery or haven't truly had a marketable experience of enlightenment, I have to live in the world and be tested by worldly experiences.

Because I am a moderate, I am not able to sink totally into any one thing: running, work or spirituality. So I am over all a balanced person. Because of balance, I am able to obtain peace. Yet my peace is within a raging storm of desire and temptation: running more, working more or meditating more in order to obtain something just out of reach. And so the one practice I must use is letting go, which keeps me in the center of the storm. I must let go of unrealistic objectives and accept the one objective I have which many wish they had: peace.

And because of balance and the practice of letting go, I have the benefit of a constant stream of intuitive information, a steady stream of precious diamonds leading along my life. If I don't recognize and appreciate the diamonds, then they are nothing but rocks to trounce into the dirt.

Today, I had a half day of vacation. So I got up at 3 as usual and did my hour of spiritual study and reflection. Then I went for a 3 hour run. Then I went to work to lead a hazard analysis meeting. Then I came home napped and did more spiritual study. The beauty is that guys who normally hate HAZOP meetings like to come to mind because they find it fruitful to the safety of their manufacturing processes. The beauty is that I have had a fruitful time of reflection this afternoon. The beauty is that I will get to do a full round of core exercises this afternoon and ride my ex-machines in my air conditioned living room. All the while pondering the balance and seeing the pearls and watching the storm around me.