Homeostasis, my Quest

Homeostasis. My favorite word ever since I first heard it in my Anatomy and Physiology class about 12 years ago. Just writing the word makes me smile! What a beautiful concept, the dynamic state of balance.

My medical dictionary calls it; "The tendency of the body to seek and maintain a condition of balance or equilibrium within its internal environment, even when faced with external changes." Our bodies are amazing homeostatic regulators, keeping our temperature and blood pressure (and hundreds of other things) stable even when faced with many different stressors in the environment. I think anyone who has ever studied Physiology has been amazed by the intricate systems that keep us balanced. Most diseases are caused by some imbalance of these systems.

As amazing as homeostasis is in our physical bodies, I think the concept can go beyond that. Equilibrium, yin and yang, duality. Whatever terms you want to use, there seems to be a universal need for balance in our mental and emotional lives. Trying to live peacefully in the center while being pulled by many extremes. To be stable in the midst of chaos.

To steal from Wikipedia (yes, I do my research on Wikepedia):

"With regards to any given life system parameter, an organism may

be a conformer or a regulator. On one hand, Regulators try to maintain

the parameter at a constant level over possibly wide ambient

environment variations. While on the other hand, conformers allow the

environment to determine the parameter."

Hmmm, conformer or regulator. I seem to remember the Bible saying something about conforming to this world.

What I really love about homeostasis though is that the organism can stay regulated and balanced while interacting with it's environment. It's not a stability based on hiding in a safe place and cutting oneself off from all others. It's much simpler to have a rigid schedule and pretend like it's balance (8 hours of sleep, 8 hours of work, 8 hours of play each day). I've tried that and don't recommend the practice; it's not a great life. My Quest then, is to learn a little more each day about how to live a balanced life in the midst of community.

Sleeping Beauty

I've always been intrigued by the story of Sleeping Beauty. A child is born and all seems well until she is cursed by a wicked fairy. While the good fairies attempt to lessen the curse, she (and her family) live in fear of the accursed day throughout her growing up. One day it arrives and the whole kingdom descends into the darkness of sleep, to last a hundred years.

Well, I don't think there was a wicked fairy curse in my infancy, but I certainly have lived in fear. I may not be 100 years old yet, but it feels as if I have been in the darkness of sleep for at least that long. Although my life isn't a fairy tale this story helps me hope for better times.

Fortunately, I think the next part of the story is beginning. My awakening from the long sleep wasn't the instant response to the kiss of a handsome prince though, it is a slow waking up to the beauty of the world around me. A world created by the ultimate Prince, the Prince of Peace.

It's not easy to throw off the years of fear, and I often feel the arms of sleep reaching up to pull me back into the darkness. As much as I hate the darkness I also feel comfortable there. The light is unfamiliar and unknown. It's a frightening thing to wake up a heart.

I plan to attend church in the morning. This may not sound like a big deal, but I haven't gone in over a year and I'm terrified. It's time though. I need to become reacquainted with the Prince of Peace. While a church service certainly isn't the only way to do so (and often isn't even the best way), both attending church tomorrow and starting this blog are steps toward being awake.

Thanks for reading my journal today, and I hope that we both wake up in the light tomorrow.