Juggling Struggle

Life is like juggling five balls, while riding a unicycle, with a sloth stuck to our back and balancing a sword on our nose at the same time.

Life is like juggling five balls, while riding a unicycle, with a sloth stuck to our back and balancing a sword on our nose at the same time.

For everyone is different, yet the same in its variety of form. Kids and those that do not have responsibilities, which are crucial to the survival of their life, are allowed a greater freedom of choice between the actions possible. That does not free them though from the juggling essential to the process of life. The stakes are lower than those of the responsible “adult” life, but the decision making and constant need for reactivity stay a part of the daily life for everyone. When one becomes of age or is put in a situation that calls for accountability the stakes shoot up and ask for a response, which chosen consciously or unconsciously, sometimes through habitual behaviour, have impact on the present as well as the future of the individuals’ experience. Juggled balls represent in this scenario our primal needs, which are of the main significance to the existence of the juggler. Need for safety, nutrition, ability to rest, source of warmth and feeling of being loved are the balls, which at all times require a part of the performers’ attention. The bicycle itself represents staying on track, which provides self-validation, pursuit of ones’ dreams and active living to the best of ones’ ability. Our rider is the Self that through self-reflection, self-appreciation and healthy (both physically and mentally) living. This part can be seen both as the help and the obstacle on the way to self-fulfilment due to a passenger, whose presence we can feel on our backs at any given time. The exemplary sloth is the fearful small self, which is commonly considered the ego of the individual. This safe-loving entity likes quick payouts, long breaks and comfortable space without any trouble or grind. Filled with anxiety towards action taking and risk of any kind this passenger can be jugglers biggest opponent in the performance of life. At last, but far from the least, the sword represents the idea of the Self, which different for everyone holds the key to ones’ happiness, success and fulfilment of life. It is both a blessing and a burden to ones’ existence. While holding a great value of joy and fulfilment, it is also the source of the greatest pains and troubles to ones’ existence. Be it the love to a person, ambition for successful career or beating ones’ record the sword encompasses all of the possible wishes of the greatest value to individuals’ life at any point in life. Possible to change with or without the initiative of the juggler, the sword is what the existence is called for in the present; it is what makes the life worth living. And as it can be different to everyone, it is true to all that such personalised sword exists and is present in the performance of the trick of life. And so the act continues unstoppably through the force of change, chased by the time and cheered for by the Unknown.

Remember to keep juggling whatever the costs… the show must go on after all…

Also check out my other story:

https://www.wsalski.com/post/rolling-stone

*art by Katarzyna Druszcz

#creativewriting #jugglinglife #artisticview