Balance, Moderation, Judgment

“Whatever men attempt,” said Bernard Baruch, “they seem driven to overdo.” It is true that there are extremes and excesses in all directions and endeavors. Any significant accomplishment requires conviction, concentration, dedication⎯a kind of all-out effort. But any truly successful life also requires balance. The gift of moderation, judgment⎯balance⎯is a great and important gift.

People have various ways of going to extremes. Some plunge and speculate inordinately, while others are too timid to venture at all. Some scatter their efforts and interests in too many directions; others move with such narrowness that they lose all breadth of life and neglect family, friends, and many of the things that matter most. Some overdo optimism to the point of not facing facts. Some overdo pessimism to the point of ignoring their best opportunities. Some live too much on the physical side, too absorbed in exercise and activity; others withdraw within themselves in inactivity. Some have too much desire for money, and some are too little concerned with solvency and the practical side.

The fact that God gave us minds and spirits, hearts and feelings, as well as physical functioning must mean that He meant us to be mindful of all sides of ourselves. The fact that He has given us both time and eternity must mean that we should give balance to both and to all that makes up man⎯”with prudence and thanksgiving” in whatever we do or partake of, in every act and utterance.

We must specialize and concentrate to the point of being effective and efficient, but no to the point of starving any side of ourselves. We should avoid excesses and obsessions, or overdoing in any direction. “Whatever men attempt, they seem driven to overdo.” We ought earnestly to come closer to balance, to solvency and soundness, to happiness and good health; and we ought to pause long enough to appraise what is of lasting importance to our lives.