When I was a Juggler ...

 

 

 

"The reward for uncovering the truth 

is the experience of honest being."

 

Mark Nepo

THE BOOK OF AWAKENING

 

 

 

There was a time in my life where I was an accomplished juggler.  To ensure friendship, I would orchestrate dreams come true.  I would reorganize my personal life at all cost to be the best friend ever.  I would accommodate, modify, minimize, maximize, and be invisible if necessary.  All in the desire to be a true friend.

 

Well, the trouble with being a juggler is it demands total focus on what you are tossing in the air.  There is no time for personal thought or observation.  You are presenting entertainment, but when you stop, those you have amused walk away.  The juggler knows that as long as he can keep your attention, the greater the odds of acceptance.

 

When juggling, one must keep in constant motion.  Maintaining a rhythm does not allow time to imagine or create.  One gets stuck in the current pattern, unable to stretch or take great strides. 

 

True art is in the giving and the receiving without anticipation for reward.  If you love to juggle, than by all means juggle for this pleasure, and no other motivation.  This is how we are called to be in this world.  Do what we know and love without expectation.  It is human nature to want to please and there is nothing like hearing the roar of a crowd, but we must acknowledge our own value first.  Our actions must be aligned with our personal desires and not trumped by the needs of others.



When we have grown into our gifts or talents, we have a deeper sense of self.  If we happen to make someone laugh, then we too, can laugh with them because we are authentic.  If  we believe in our lovely self, but a gathering of others  fail to see what we offer, we need to find another audience to appreciate what we have to offer.