I overdid the balloon order. 

A couple years ago, I offered to handle my granddaughter’s birthday party balloons. I ordered two standard balloon bouquets, then I added a couple oversized mylar musical balloons. It’s a good thing I ordered two, because one started losing air before the party started. I also had a large standing mylar unicorn, or maybe two? My memory might not recall every detail, but I remember a few things…

..such as, I remember walking into the party store and being thrilled with the colorful collection waiting for me. I knew my granddaughter would be ecstatic. I remember taking two trips to the car. The first one was uneventful, except I started to question whether I’d have enough room to fit the second bunch. I’m a packer. I can maneuver a lot into a space, but this wasn’t a game of luggage Tetris. Balloons are different. They might seem flexible, but they can’t be forced. They can’t fit into small spaces if it means pushing them past a potential edge of doom. Not to mention, there is a constant anti-gravity pull that fills the largest empty space in the vehicle’s ceiling. 

I have an SUV. It’s not a small vehicle. Sure, the three carseats occupy some of the space, but it shouldn’t have been too difficult. As I was tugging and pushing and maneuvering as creatively and firmly as I could, I remembered another party for which I picked up the balloons in high winds. I think I preferred the game of balloon sardines to the game of stay-on-the-ground. I love the movie UP, but I don’t need to see its destination of Paradise Falls actually exists. 

Somehow, I packed all the balloons into the SUV. I’ll admit, my visibility wasn’t the best. I took my time driving to the party. And once I started pulling the balloons out of the car, the scene resembled something like clowns piling out of a circus car…when they trick the audience and have more clowns exit than can actually fit into the tiny car. Yet the party venue was large enough, the balloons spread throughout the space and didn’t seem like too many at all. 

Of course, the party was a blast. Not because of the balloons. It was because of the excitement of a little girl who was thrilled to enjoy a special day. I was glad to be a small part of it. 

And I was glad for the balloon experience, because it reminded me to be aware of the available space. And I’m not referring to physical space. I typically have that under control. I need a constant reminder to consider emotional, mental, and relational space. 

It’s easy to think I can fit more than I should. Or sometimes I leave more room than I should, not because I’m taking an intentional break but because I’m being lazy, avoiding connections I know I should make, or delaying the work I’m fully aware I need in order to grow. Both overloading and underloading end in exhaustion, because neither uses my space, time, and energy well. Both approaches are wasteful.

The best pace of life always fluctuates. It requires planning, reflection, and adjustments. Sometimes the fit feels just right. Other times, it’s overwhelming or empty. The view is obstructed, foggy, or blinding. The noise or the silence is deafening. But if we constantly consider the available space, we can approach filling it from a sound starting point.

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