Have you ever gone into someone’s home and felt so cramped that you could hardly breathe? Their walls and countertops are cluttered with stuff, snuffing out any chance for a pause. Some people feel that making their mark on their surroundings makes their presence important and also protects them from having to face the breadth of their feelings. I don’t think that it works. Somewhere deep down inside those difficult-to-accept feelings poke around creating an inner discomfort that is way worse than the ones that surface.
Empty space can be a respite, a valued friend and advocate. In sculpture it is called negative space and its shape and volume are just as important as the clay forms that surround it. A quiet moment in a discussion gives the other person a chance to collect her thoughts and respond without having to hurriedly interject a comment before the discourse continues. Our vertebrae need space and our organs need to not be squashed by a collapsing spine so they can perform as they were intended.
And, most importantly, I believe that we all need space just to be without doing or reacting to external forces. Space to be. That is where all creativity and possibilities are born. Don’t limit yourself by stifling your chance to breathe. Take the opportunity to cherish a quiet moment and see what happens when you give your friends the same.
Please share. Thank you!
I love this Ellie!