Extremes Don’t Last

There are, without question, extremes in life.

We regularly track high and low temperature readings, year to year. The tides ebb and flow, sometimes higher depending on various influences and situations. Sometimes we feel happy, other times sad… and with practice we can better gauge those personal extremes.

Most of life, though, happens somewhere in between. And that “in between” is often in motion itself, changing from moment to moment, moving toward one extreme or the other.

The Pendulum Swings

One of the most basic demonstrations of physics is the motion of pendulums. Left to their own devices, pendulums have a set period to swing from one extreme to another. In a perfect world, they’d continue indefinitely. But we live in a world with friction and air resistance and numerous other forces, so any real pendulum left to its own devices will eventually come to rest at the center of its arc.

While there is some similarity between those physics lessons and the way non-physical things–like ideas and perception–move through the world, there are many more factors involved.

Much like you can change the period of a pendulum by adding more energy to it–think pushing someone on a swing to make them go higher–when it comes to non-physical things, we can make them “move” more quickly or slowly. This can happen either with purpose or subconsciously.

When we pay attention to our thoughts and reactions to things, we can have some control over them. Stopping them instantly or propelling them forward with more vigor aren’t always options, but little nudges here and there can add up considerably.

Adding that energy in can change the high points at either end of the arc of the swing. But it does not change the center… only how quickly the center is passed through.

Of course we’re not the only ones adding a push or a drag to the things swinging through our lives. It’s a group effort and, sometimes, others have a lot more say than we do in the oscillations that go on.

Shared Motion

All of the things swinging through our lives interact with one another. And, much like coupled pendulums, they can transfer energy among each other.

Knowing how our internal pendulums swing, we can begin to better account for how the actions of others impact us. This allows us to better use our own energy–our nudges and drags–to maintain a rhythm we’re happy with.

The extremes we experience can change based on numerous factors. One day, stubbing your toe is a minor annoyance. Another day, it can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back and send us into a fit of rage or despair. The connections among the various influences isn’t always clear at the time, but it is always there.

Our own choices with what we accentuate in our interactions with others unquestionable has an effect on them. Our bad day can very quickly become someone else’s, Our joy can spread in amazing ways, picking up those around us who would otherwise be down.

Everything is interconnected, and every individual has uncountable connections within themselves. We are complex constructs… and we have some say–though not the absolute final word–on what we’re constructed of.

Enjoy the Arc

Since most of our life is spent along the arc of the swing, it’s of utmost importance that we learn to enjoy that movement.

Far too often we focus only on one extreme or another. We thinks we’re sad all the time, we fight to be happy all the time, we seem to always feel bored (that point at the bottom of the arc can seem quite mundane).

Remember the pendulum. It only sits at an extreme for a moment before it changes direction. It only hits the bottom of its swing for an instant and doesn’t stop.

However something is now, it will change shortly. But only if we let it.

It is more than possible for our internal pendulums to remain at one extreme or the other for extended periods. But that is not their natural state. It takes energy and effort to maintain an unnatural state. The amount of energy required increases over time. Eventually, something will break and the swing will resume.

There’s always something better you could be doing with that energy.

Let the pendulum swing. Adjust it’s path as needed, but otherwise revel in the movement. That is where life happens.