Pipes

My friend had a vision, in which he was running around a bioler room trying to keep it from exploding. There were all these pipes, steam pipes, and each need to be depressurized by pressing a valve. He kept running back and forth from pipe to pipe, releasing pressure from the one closest to explosion, reaching for others and running faster, faster trying to keep them all under control.
The pipes represented the different needs in his life, his needs and the needs of those who depend on him. Work, music, kids, wife. Family, personal growth, career ambitions, sex, friendships. He couldn't keep them all happy and the pressure was building.

Then the Epiphany. The solution is not to abandon parts of his life that are important to him. Nor is it to run faster and faster, push himself harder until he collapses. The solution is to bring the pipes closer together.

Activities that release pressure from multiple pipes are the goal. Work that is intellectualy stimulating and career building, on a team of people who are friends, who can discuss music and life. Friends who share many interests, with whom you can work, from whom you can learn, and even have sex. Romantic and intellectual and emotional and sexual stimulation with the same person, who also plays with your kids? Priceless.

i look for people and opportunities that let me bring the pipes closer together. I love learning, meeting new people, speaking, drinking beer. User groups give me all this plus career advancement. Friends who let off steam from multiple pipes get more of my time. If he has kids in elementary school, then we can talk shop while our kids entertain each other. Playing tag is both exercise and high-value bonding time. This strategy lets me accept more richness into my life.