Much of my growing up, and I suspect that of many others in our culture, involved the socialization process. In short, this is what "you do" to get along, to grow, to become a part of the society. Being, when it was discussed at all, often had to do with the role we would assume upon reaching the career stage of our lives. Looking deeper, often the province of the few "odd balls", has become a quest for many of us in the Boomer and more recent generations. Some might argue we have become too self-centered as a result. Is "the meaning of life" that complicated, after all? I have found introspection and true searching are challenging and rewarding, even terrifying and painful at times, but merely "doing" leaves me cold. If John Donne was right and "no man is an island", (sorry Simon & Garfunkel) we humans are both private and social critters and to be truly human we must embrace both sides of ourselves. The tension to be and/or to do, therefore, will always be with us.

Too much tension is choking, too little, ineffective. What's the right tension for you and when was the last time you really adjusted the tension? In a society where "easy" answers can be seductive, what are you doing to maintain a healthy balance between being and doing?