Balance

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What you see in the picture is a safety handrail inside a Manila train. The idea is you hold on to the handrail so that when the train moves, you will be able to resist the forces (i.e. crammed warm bodies of passengers) and maintain your standing position. Otherwise, your body will be strewn everywhere and the other passengers will swear at you for the inconvenience that you will cause them. Unfortunately, the handrail to passenger ratio is not 1:1. In this case, you will need to learn how to balance to remain steady. And I'm happy to report that I have been learning this skill. Also, this teaches me a couple of things which may or may not have anything to do with mass and inertia: 1. It takes a lot of concentration to achieve balance. Many things tend to distract you from your goals that you just have to pause at one point, clear your mind and focus on what is important. You cannot do everything at the same time, so you have to prioritize. So if you're riding a train and you don't want to inconvenience others, stop tinkering with your phone. 2. There are many factors that pull or push you to several directions. It is a must that you take control and decide the direction that you're heading. Whether you remain steady or assume another position, what is important is that it is your decision and that you take responsibility for your actions. So if you happen to lose balance and your high-heeled shoe crushes the toe of the woman next to you, say sorry because it's your fault. Sometimes I find it amazing how I can gain insight from my day-to-day struggles as a commuter. What about you? What life's lesson have you learned today?