Sweet rum with sour citrus,
smooth bourbon with pungent herbs,
peppery tequila with light cointreau, lime juice, and a salted rim—
a good cocktail requires healthy contrast.

I’ve written previously on how the forerunners of cocktails usually had a blend of five ingredients (citrus, sweet, herbal, spirit, and water), and modern cocktails require a similar balance. Even simple two-ingredient recipes like Jack & Coke and the Stinger rely on contrasting flavors (bright cola against smooth whiskey and sweet brandy against sharp creme de menthe, respectively). The key to a rich and enjoyable drink is a contrast which still manages to complement.

There are few things worse than taking a sip of something too sweet or too sour. In my early 20s, I took kind of a Garanimals approach and assumed I could simply combine similar things. “Hmm…Maker’s Mark is a sweet bourbon, so I’ll pour in some Dr. Pepper because it’s sweet too.” (For the record, even though I wouldn’t touch it now, this syrupy concoction fueled several papers during seminary.) Only after visiting some cocktail bars and studying up on mixology did I learn the importance of bitters and citrus to balance out all that sweet. Peruse any cocktail menu, and you’ll always see a balance of very different ingredients working together to create fascinating fusions.

So it goes with life as well.
Work must be balanced with rest.
Solitude must be balanced with community.
Belief must be balanced with curiosity.
Intellect must be balanced with emotion.
The list could go on.

Like a good cocktail, human life requires balance.