Getting Off the Roller-Coaster Ride

“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.”
—Thomas Merton

Most of us say we want to have peace in our lives. We want peace and joy, but we don’t act like it. Instead we live our lives as if we are on a roller-coaster vacillating between the highs and lows and feeling as if something is wrong when we do find that we are in a place of peace.

When we are in the midst of feeling a lot of joy we know that it won’t last forever so when change comes, and it always does, we don’t need to be distraught and get depressed. Just like when we are down and out about something we must remember that this too shall pass and something will come along to bring us joy.

When we get off the roller-coaster ride that many of us have spent a great portion of our lives on, we may not find peace to be a place of comfort. We may think something is wrong with us because we just don’t feel too much of anything. However, not to worry, because more than likely if we’re active and living a full life but not having all the highs and lows that we have grown accustomed to we probably have found peace.

When life if full of intensity and stress it’s usually full of anger and pain. Living a life on the edge may be fun at times, the highs are great, but the lows are not so much fun. A more level-headed lifestyle can bring just as much happiness without falling into the depth of despair when we fall off the high.

Balance, peace, and harmony may not feel very exciting, but they are the best places to be.