A case for balance

Life would be so easy if everyone just thought like me.

Why is it that the older we get - we still make the same mistakes?

Why can't we open up a bit and try to see the world from someoneelse's perspective?

It's 2007 and I'm still astounded by the ignorance of the world - and even more impressed with my own ignorance. None of us ever learn. Especially me.

It's just so hard to open up to things we don't understand.

I was on the shoot all last weekend with a 23 year old kid from Austin. He's here in SF doing a documentary. He's a great guy - smart, energetic - and really gifted behind the camera. But he's going through stuff - got a girl back home - he's young - and trying to figure out life.

He told me yesterday he always thought that if you had problems in your life you need to buck up and get better. Now - for the first time in his life - he could understand why someone might want therapy. It might not just be that easy to fix yourself.

My wife has some issues. Nothing we talk much about - but she would tell you if you asked. Depression. OCD. Serious enough that she takes medicine - and it helps - but doesn't really get to the bottom of the issue - and really - I don't know what will - if anything. Its how she's wired. I love her - no matter what - and its just part of our life.

But its hard for people to deal with that. They think medicine is nonsense. All you have to do is pick yourself up and go. Stop whining. Get up.

Sometimes its hard for me. Just get happy. How hard is that?

Recently another great friend of mine has been going through something similar. He's a thinker. A deep thinker. All the time. What does God want from me? What should I be doing with my life? I keep struggling with the same things... God should just take me.

Serious serious questions. No easy answers. Overwhelming questions to the point of affecting his health. All I can do is try to be there and to pray.

I understand where they're coming from - but I'm rendered helpless. All I can do is listen and try to be a friend. I see them struggle and it breaks my little Grinch sized heart.

I tend to not think so much. I think about the day. And then, the next day. Any more than that starts to hurt my little T-Rex brain.

For people with a glass half empty - its hard to find grace. With those of us with a glass half full - we don't bother looking half the time.

Balance is so hard to achieve. And sympathy and understanding for those not like us is almost impossible. We go through life finding something to claim as ours - and rarely have time to look or spend a minute thinking about the other side of the fence.

There but for the grace of God....