Equinox

Today is the Spring Equinox – which means it is the first official day of spring.  On this day, there is an equal amount of day and night and this has me pondering balance.  Balance is an allusive concept that I have long tried to incorporate into my life.  I strive to have right ratio of work to play; creativity to analysis; socializing to private time; etc.  As I have gotten older this is what balance means for me.  It doesn’t mean having equal parts; it means having the right amount.  And, when I am living in balance, no one area of my life overwhelms me.

In pottery, balance meant allocating the right amount of time making, finishing, and glazing.  As a novice potter, I used to spend so much time at the wheel making the pot that finishing and glazing seemed to go quickly.  But the ratios have changed as my technical skills have developed.  Now I can throw a pot much quicker than I can finish or glaze it.  Recently, I have added a new element to balance – time for planning pots (a step that was beyond my novice abilities).  I need time to develop pots, time to experiment; and time to incorporate more interest.