It's a typical day in San Francisco, California. Foggy, just under 65 degrees, with scattered sunlight peeking through the clouds across the city. The mist is ghost-grey; the sounds of passing vehicles going up and down the twisting roads keep bikers alert.

Tucked away along the side of the lane is me, steadily pushing two bikes uphill on either side as my friend straggles behind, unable to push her bike any longer. I have to equally distribute my strength in each hand to maintain my balance. The challenge is maintaining this balance while going uphill at the same time.

I struggle with balancing uphill because the roads are so small. If I favor either side, a bike scratches my legs and pushes me toward a car or a ditch. When I have balance, I need it to gather enough strength to move upward. The beauty of this balancing act is that it's the perfect metaphor for my life trajectory the past couple of months.

I've been juggling trying to align my day job with my passions. The constant struggle to find the motivation to get through the workday is dreadful, especially during a global pandemic. Between interviews and meetings to land a new role, I argue with my siblings who are trying their best to avoid responsibilities to keep our family afloat. My personal life is still a puzzle—an evolving quest to find a life partner and the constant struggle to be an excellent servant to Allah. Keeping balance in each of these tasks occupying my mind is an uphill battle that requires an even distribution of attention.

When forced to juggle many things at once, naturally, intelligence increases to find a solution. I went through it, trying to maintain balance while pushing two bikes uphill. I kept grazing my chin with the bikes' petals, my arms cramping because of how I was holding the bikes, and an oncoming vehicle almost hit me. Each misstep informed the strategy that helped me reach the top of the hill. 

The hunt for a new role brings anxiety, the arguments with my sisters force me to learn and practice patience, the quest for a life partner makes me reflective, and the struggle to be a worthy servant keeps me humble. Experiencing these emotions across the different parallels occupying my mind allows me to learn from myself. Patience with my sisters helps me deal with the job hunt. Being reflective lets me empathize with my sisters. Staying humble as a servant of Allah gives me the balance I need to keep going.

I handed one of the bikes back to my friend, and we started riding again. As we ride toward the sunset, I smile at the reminder of my current place in life. I'm going through it right now, adjusting and learning, but I'll continue this balancing act because I've seen the sunset on the other side of it, and it's worth the push.