Tension can make or break us. Too much tension can ruin a relationship. Too little tension can bring on depression.
We are naturally drawn to seek tension, because it’s healthy. But we are also repelled by situations that cause too much tension.
We all fall in a spectrum of desire too much or too little tension.
Benoît Lecomte plans to swim across the Pacific Ocean. (He has already crossed the Atlantic.) Mr. Lecomte is seeking a huge amount of personal tension. I am not sure why he is seeking such levels of pain. He will either receive the fame that comes with being the first to complete such a feat – or he may lose his life. I appreciate how people like Benoît push the boundaries of humans accomplishment.
At the other end of the tension spectrum is someone I knew who died for lack of tension. They refused to exercise to the point of losing most physical capabilities. They insisted on their own way by refusing healthy choices, some of which resulted in their eventual death. Their driving motivation was to avoid pain.
You most likely fall somewhere in the middle. My struggle is not judging people at either extreme.
Another struggle I face is pushing myself from the complacent end of the spectrum toward the middle. I know that I need more tension, like in the area of exercise. In some areas of life, I need less tension.
Balance is elusive.
