By Monica Zollinger

Life is full of ups and downs—it’s just the natural order of things. At my Grandma’s cabin, there was a giant log teeter-totter that could fit at least ten kids on each side, with plenty of room to spare. We’d load it up, trying to balance the weight just right. As we’d go up and down, the ride was often a little bumpy—but it was always fun.

Years later, after working steadily most of my life, I suddenly found myself with no job lined up. For the first time, I had no plan. And while I didn’t want to admit it, after a few weeks of rejection letters—and a persistent contact from BJ—I accepted a job I didn’t really want: Office Manager at Heritage Water Company.

Why share this story? Because it perfectly set the stage for me to learn about the Law of Rhythm in real time.

“Law of Rhythm? What’s that?” you might ask. It’s the experience of feeling life’s natural highs and lows as we move forward. That period of unemployment was a low point for me. I didn’t want that job. I wanted new experiences, new people. But it felt like the universe kept nudging me toward something I was resisting. And once I let go and stopped fighting it, things started to shift. I met people who would profoundly change my life.

The Law of Rhythm teaches that everything vibrates and moves according to rhythms. These rhythms shape our seasons, cycles, stages of growth, and patterns of change. There’s a time and a season for all things.

“Everything flows out and in; everything has its tides;
all things rise and fall;
the pendulum-swing manifests in everything;
the measure of the swing to the right is the measure of the swing to the left;
rhythm compensates [counterbalances].” — The Kybalion

This law explains the predictable pattern of life’s ups and downs—and gives us a reason to look forward to the good times ahead. Something inside us craves rhythm. We need change to feel alive. And every experience—whether we label it good or bad—brings structure and balance. The key to success in mastering this law is in the balance.

Sometimes we feel joy. Sometimes we feel pain. Back to the teeter-totter: rise and fall, up and down, always moving, always shifting. Balance isn’t about staying still—it’s about flowing with the change, not resisting it. Our power lies in how we choose to respond.

When life bumps us around, we have a choice:

1. We can fight it, cling to the way things used to be, and struggle to stay “in control,”
   or

2. We can breathe, release our grip, and ride the waves, trusting there’s a reason behind the rhythm.

My brother used to jump off the teeter-totter mid-ride, sending everyone flying. Life can feel like that sometimes—sudden, jarring, and unfair. But we can stay grounded. We can choose to stay on the ride, even when it’s uncomfortable.

That job I didn’t want? It led me to the man who became my husband.

Here’s what happened: I was engaged and just starting to train someone to replace me. I was working 14-16 hour days. One early morning, as I was heading to my car, someone ran up behind me, handcuffed me, and said they were kidnapping me for the day. It was Mark—my fiancé. I told him I needed to call in. He told me he’d already taken care of it. So we spent the whole day together.

But the next morning, when I arrived at work, BJ was sitting at my desk—furious. I got a two-hour lecture on responsibility, followed by her saying Mark was not good enough for me. When I asked her point, she told me I could take time to “figure out my priorities.” I said I’d let her know if I’d be back.

That day, I prayed, thought, and eventually went to talk to Mark. The next afternoon, I returned to the office, picked up my last paycheck, and left for good. I cleaned my apartment and moved in with friends until Mark and I found a place to live together after we were married.

Looking back, I was hurt by how BJ handled that situation. But I’m also deeply grateful. That moment pushed me into the next season of my life. I got precious time with Mark, and those last two months of our courtship were a gift.

Change is necessary. It helps us grow—physically, emotionally, spiritually. Whether we’re the one on the ground pushing upward, or the one up high on the way down, rhythm keeps us in motion. It keeps us balanced. And if we can learn to trust it, it can also keep us centered.

So when the rhythm of your life changes, don’t panic. Don’t jump off the teeter-totter. Just keep riding—and trust that the next rise is already on its way.