Juggling looks hard. It seems to be all about catching each ball as it comes down. Therefore, when we try to juggle, the impulse is to learn to catch better. However, juggling is more about throwing than catching. If our throws are correct, the catching takes care of itself.
In a life well lived, happiness and suffering form the two sides of the proverbial coin. However, we lay a larger emphasis on the pursuit of happiness. On the other hand, on facing and embracing one’s suffering, happiness sorts itself out.
“There is only one thing that I dread: not to be worthy of my sufferings.” – Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Inspiration for the metaphor: Seth Godin’s podcast episode on throwing and catching