Trust yourself to what might be rather than what is. You may surprise yourself!
Space. It is often hard to find. Emotional space.
And it is so important. Whether it is the demands of a job that carries responsibility that seems not to end, or friendship
that seems to require ongoing attention and investment, the need for personal space remains vital. We have taken on
too much, and our environment is filled with new and constantly expanding methods and means of communication which may actually
conspire to crowd out the possibility of personal space to an ever greater extent. At what point do we relieve ourselves
of the ongoing barrage--at what point do we redefine our boundaries--our own point of need--for our own life--our own space?
How do we begin to remove the congested clutter filling/backing up in our psyches? We learn to remove old and useless
material--books, clothes, tax returns, broken pieces of china, old suitcases--old photos from other times. But we can also
become aware of the congested clutter we carry in our minds and hearts.
Rather than stuffing ourselves with addictive
patterns that give a transitory sense of comfort, space and relief (whether food, alcohol, over-activity, or gambling)
we can excavate a new awareness of what thoughts, memories, oughts and responsibilities we keep close at each moment
of the day and night. We can sort these thoughts and memories out--evaluate their usefulness and contribution--and decide
to keep or release them. This is one of the most valuable things we can do--it is the practice of shedding our skin-consciousness
and releasing it, allowing a new covering/understanding/insight to be revealed. We can grow another layer of comprehension
and we either let the old go or we build another over it. We move forward. We never need to stay encased in the same
reality. New insights are always possible; new understandings and perspectives can be gained in the process.
Life itself releases in order to move on--and
life composts what is released. We let the old experiences go--let them foment and decompose, watching them turn
to steam and then transition to rich fertile soil...the source and nourishment for new thoughts...new visions and enterprises/possibilities,
and we nurture and tend to the process. We weed and remove the thoughts that would/could choke out and restrict new
work. The process is ongoing--there is always work to be done.
There are also often surprises--wildflowers we
hadn't planned for...touches of affirmation. And some late warm Summer evening there may come the clear full flash of understanding
by the light of a July moon, and a thousand sparkling insights may light up the yard above the deck, dancing in the tops
of River Birches...as tree toads chirp and a stream dances on. Space. It is the cry of everything.
It makes life possible. Give yourself and
others some space today.
