Seeking Balance

We just got back from a week of not climbing in Steamboat Springs, CO. A wonderful week of family activities with people who aren't climbers. A week that drove home the fact that devoting so much time and energy to a pursuit like climbing can make one feel like an outsider. Now we're back, I'm climbing again, and I'm hanging out with people who share my interests.

Last night, Alan came out with me for some bouldering and development at the Source.
We had a fun session, and as we discussed life on the drive down canyon, he asked a profound question. "Why can climbers find balance on the rock, but have trouble finding it in their lives?"

That's a difficult question to answer. Does climbing unbalance the rest of my life? After a day of thought, I don't think that it does, but it's difficult to be sure. My life isn't always balanced, but as I think back to my life before I began climbing, I feel more balanced now than I did way back then.

A climber's life may appear unbalanced from the outside, especially to non-climbers, but what matters is whether it feels balanced from the inside. After a week away, I know I feel more balanced when I'm able to go climbing. Should I trust the feeling? After a full day of climbing at Wild Iris, I felt so good I didn't want to question it anymore.

Sunset from the Source.

Balance is always changing, and it always requires some attention, the journey continues...