For 2026 — Pay Balance!

Happy New Year, everyone.

Her heart racing, Una banged on Lista’s apartment door loud enough to wake Satan. She didn’t show up for work last night and wasn’t answering her phone. When no response came, she used her spare key to let herself in. Shock set in when she entered the apartment and saw Lista sitting on the living room floor in a yoga pose, her back against the wall, crying. She was still wearing her work uniform the day before.

The empty living room demanded attention. Glancing around, the windows were bare too, as if she were moving.

“What is going on?” Una demanded, rushing over to her.

Lista wiped her eyes, then stared up at Una and poured her heart out, “I put her up when she had no place to live, and no one wanted to help her. She waited until I was on the night shift and moved out with everything I owned. Including this month’s rent, which I gave her to pay the landlord.”

“Must you always be kind?” Una’s memory rushed back to the many people she had helped over the years who had cheated and stolen from her.

She stared up at Una and said in recollection, “I was raised to give the kindness I want.”

“And what do you do when it’s not returned?” Una’s anger demands.

“Kindness usually rebounds. But not from the same source,” her sadness informs.

“They never taught you when to say no?”

She nods.

“That’s why you never did?” Una’s anger said.

“Do you want to be told no?” She asked, tears slowly stepping down.

“Yes and no is a part of life. And sometimes, no does a better job than yes. You need to learn when to say no,” Una encouraged.

“Sorry, I aim to give what I want,” she vowed, as tears flowed.

Nodding in frustration after a long sigh, Una asked, “I am making a smoothie. Where can I get some mangoes?”

“They are out of season,” she said in furrowed brows, staring at her in curiosity while wiping her eyes.

“What about Neese-berry, June Plums, apples, and Avocados?”

“They are all out of season, you know that,” she said, still staring at her weirdly.

Una smiled, then questioned, “How come they’re out of season?”

“Because there is a season for everything. That’s how the earth maintains its. . . . . . .” she paused, glared at Una wide-eyed, then her head sank to her lap.

“That’s how the earth maintains order, allowing humans to survive and exist,” Una said, easing closer towards her. She knelt facing her, then used her index finger to ease her head up, then soothed, “It’s called balance. Earth maintains balance everywhere in our world. I am from a hot country. I can go somewhere cooler if I don’t like the heat. That’s how Earth pays Balance. People who live in cold countries can go somewhere warm. The cold and hot temperatures get their chance to be, as they pay balance.”

Lista stares at her as her words slowly begin to take effect.

Una continues, “The trees and plants that feed us, too, are seasonal. They require the right climate to grow and reproduce. Certain foods can only grow and be their best in certain climates, countries, and times, paying balance willingly. Animals maintain balance, too. Lions don’t kill unless they are hungry. Every animal has a place where they can live and do their best. Polar bears can’t survive in the tropics. Pigeons can’t live in the North Pole. Earth has different seasons in different places, too. You can’t say yes all of the time,” Una points out.

“You mean it’s ok to say no sometimes, and that’s balance,” she asked.

Grabbing both her hands and pulling her up off the floor, then wiping her eyes with her thumbs, she adds more, “humans are the only species that balance has to take away control from. They don’t willingly allow balance its due!” Cupping her cheeks, staring into her eyes, she imparts, “You can’t keep saying yes every time to people without conscience or a heart.”

More tears ran down, and Lista said, “If saying no is paying balance, I owe a lot.”

“Yes, you do. When you allow balance to have a say, you will have more control over your life.”

“How do I give balance a say?” she asked.

“Well,” Una said, wiping more tears away with tissues she had in her bag. “I call it setting boundaries.”

Lista nods, then relents, “Think Balance will take an I.O.U.?”

Una hugged her and explained, “I have some furniture in storage from my mom’s house after she died. They are yours. Marla, your landlord, and I are friends. I will speak to her.”

“Told you kindness always rebounds from a different source,” Lista said, staring at her in gratitude.

“I don’t want you to stop being kind. I want you to set boundaries so that balance can be paid, giving you more control over your life and how you live it,” Una counsels.

“After what she did to me, Balance will be paid its salary when needed!”

Saying no won’t kill you, but saying yes can!

For 2026 and onwards, give balance its due to maintain more control over your life.

Boundaries must be set to allow Balance a say. Or it will step in and take control away. Annelise Lords

Thank you for reading this piece. I hope you enjoy it.