Sometimes life has a way of sending us messages, and when it does, the hope is to recognize it.

Last week, I shared the struggles I was experiencing with vertigo, as well as the help and kindness I received from the physical therapist. Like always, I regurgitate what I write days and sometimes weeks later, and in doing so this past week, I realized I left out one key symptom of my malaise.

Because of the dizziness caused by vertigo, balance becomes an issue.

That’s when it hit me. Perhaps I needed to begin to pay more attention to balance — a balanced lifestyle, that is.

Everybody knows to stay healthy, you need to eat a balanced diet. That’s not always easy for me. While I have no problems consuming carbohydrates, it is challenging to get in the recommended servings of fruits and veggies.

Water is essential to a balanced life. If it only tasted like Diet Coke.

There is a lot of talk about having a work-life balance. Surely this is important to be an effective employee.

But as a stay-at-home mom for the better part of my life, it never occurred to me to maintain a “work-life balance.”

Life was always work. Admittedly, the best work ever, but looking back, maybe I should have considered setting aside more Terri time.

I also tend to be a tad bit obsessive-compulsive. Hubby would probably beg to differ on my evaluation. He would certainly air more on the side of “over the top” versus “tad bit,” but either way, balance is nowhere to be found when I am consumed with tasks or constantly carrying worry.

And the notion of sitting down, resting and just doing nothing is not programmed in my brain.

Therefore, after contemplating my vertigo invasion — which is nothing to joke around with — I do think the attack could have been a message from above.

How evident this is in the words of King Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3:1-11, when he says there is a time for everything.

“I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time,” Ecclesiastes 3: 10-11.