Aim for the distant target or live in the moment? The last dynamic dilemma is the dance between living in the present, of being in our bodies in the moment, right here and right now, versus investing our time, energy, and spirit toward future goals or in glorifying past times. How can we balance here and now with there and then?

Should you act for yourself or for others?  The fourth dynamic dilemma results from two fundamental human drives. We have a deep need to belong and a deep desire to be true to ourselves. How can you navigate the self-other dilemma with dignity?

We like to believe we are in control of our world, captain of the ship of our life, and responsible for our self. There is great beauty and power in this orientation. But it also minimizes the fact that we participate in a greater drama and that we are deeply affected by forces beyond our control. The poem Pebble was inspired by the image of a white foamed wave flowing over a tiny pebble in the sand: an apt metaphor representing fate and the overwhelming forces with which we must come to terms. This is one of the five dynamic dilemmas that we must renegotiate as new demands arise in our lives: should we fight the tide of greater forces or go with the flow?