The Fine Art of Juggling

This is the time of year where it just feels like life is one huge juggling act.  Whether you are a college student finishing up exams or a parent trying to get everything on your children’s Christmas lists, it just seems like we all have way too many balls up in the air. 

The balls I have in the air right now as a parent are just way too many to list.  And they are the same for all parents.  As a teacher, well, I have 47 comparative essays to grade for my Sophomores, 43 annotated bibliographies to grade for my juniors, blogs and videos to grade for my Seniors, not to mention creating plans for next week, and rereading the literature I am teaching in my classes (that would be Macbeth and “The Minister’s Black Veil” if you are interested). 

Today I Googled “Juggler” just to see what images would pop up and the most prevalent image was one of a clown.  This made me laugh, but also come to more of an understanding regarding this whole business of juggling.  Clowns are professional jugglers, and many times they are juggling way more than 3 balls (which I could not even do).  And if you have gone to graduate school for juggling, you may even have mastered the art of juggling, wrenches, knives, or flaming torches.    Juggling balls?   They had that down in elementary school!

So, if juggling is supposed to be entertaining, even comical, why doesn’t it seem so funny when you are the one with all the balls in the air?  Could the answer be that, unless we are professional jugglers, we never had a chance?  And unless we are trained in this fine art of juggling, 1-2 of those balls we have in the air, will not be stylishly caught and drop to the ground.  Then, we will either pick that ball back up  and throw it back into the air or kick it swiftly into oblivion.   And I guess there is a third option that I never considered until now – go to clown school.