--- title: What Brings Us Balance? description: Watching a seagull keep his balance on a swaying buoy, Claire McGarry wonders what we use to keep ourselves balanced. image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/20230817%20CMcGarry%201.png --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/what-brings-us-balance#) [FAITH](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/faith) # What Brings Us Balance? Aug 17, 2023 10:00:00 AM  |  by [Claire McGarry](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/claire-mcgarry) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/20230817%20CMcGarry%201.png) *Watching a seagull keep his balance on a swaying buoy, Claire McGarry wonders what we use to keep ourselves balanced.* --- I was staying at my friend’s house on the water in Maine recently. One morning, my eye was caught by a seagull perched on a buoy. As the wind blew and the water rippled, the buoy bounced and swayed. To keep himself stable, the seagull raised and expanded his wings like a tight-rope walker using a pole for balance on a high wire. It was utterly fascinating to watch.   After ten minutes of observing that bird stand his ground, no matter how unpredictable the repercussions were from the wind and water, I began to wonder: What are our wings? What do we raise up and expand in hopes of bringing us balance and equilibrium?   When the wind and waves of trouble hit, do we turn to money? prestige? possessions? vices?     > [Click to tweet: > God gave us faith for more than the easy times. It’s what gets us through the wind and the waves of life. #CatholicMom](https://ctt.ac/cd8eG)   God gave birds wings for more than flying. That seagull instinctively knew to use his for stability too.  God gave us faith for more than the easy times. It’s what gets us through the wind and the waves of life—as long as we look to Him, expanding our trust as we do so. He is the One that keeps us rooted, no matter how unpredictable the sway of our circumstances may be.   For his effort, that seagull enjoyed the reward of the warm sun shining down on him. When we lean into our faith as our source of balance, we enjoy the reward of the Son shining down grace on us.    ![null](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/20230817%20CMcGarry%202.png?width=1080&height=1080&name=20230817%20CMcGarry%202.png) --- Copyright 2023 Claire McGarry Images: Canva ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fwhat-brings-us-balance%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fwhat-brings-us-balance%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fwhat-brings-us-balance%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=What%20Brings%20Us%20Balance%3F) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fwhat-brings-us-balance%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fwhat-brings-us-balance%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Claire McGarry](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Claire%20McGarry.jpg) ### [Claire McGarry](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/claire-mcgarry) Claire McGarry is the author of [Grace in Tension: Discover Peace with Martha and Mary](https://amzn.to/3w2ZEgR), and the Lenten family devotionals [With Our Savior](https://www.creativecommunications.com/Products/FM3TV/with-our-savior-family-devotions-for-lent.aspx) and [Abundant Mercy](https://catholic.creativecommunications.com/Products/AM5TV/abundant-mercy-family-devotions-for-lent.aspx). Claire is a regular contributor to *Living Faith*, and her freelance work has appeared in several books, magazines, and devotionals. She blogs weekly at [Shifting My Perspective](https://shiftingmyperspective.com/), and lives in New Hampshire with her husband and three children. Follow her on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/ClaireMcGarryAuthor), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/clairemcgarrywrites/), and [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Claire-McGarry/e/B07NCB7ZKL). 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