The Space In Between

There is a golden space in between the end of your last breath and before the new breath has yet arrived. There is hope here.

This past year, many of my lines in the sand have been erased by the strong winds of change. I've sat firmly in the pews on one side of the aisle for most of my life. I felt pretty smug here. I was with my people; the good people who stood for all that I believed was true. The people sitting on the other side of the aisle were like aliens to me.

But this summer, I got up from my pew and walked to the middle of the aisle. I just stood there at first, quietly, wondering what was going on with me. I didn't feel I belonged anywhere. I was dangling in between. It was pretty scary. Who was I? What did I stand for?

Then unexpectedly, other people got up and joined me. They were from both sides of the aisle, and they entered this shared space of nothingness. Some were close friends. Some were acquaintances. And some were people I'd never gotten to know because of my preconceived notions of who they were. We looked at each other in surprise. And they were my people. Even though it was scary, there was enormous relief. It felt crazy, but free. There was no side, just love and acceptance. It felt like the end of the illusion, and I was in the midst of a beautiful opening.

I feel we've all crawled down our individual rabbit holes right now. Our fears, discomforts and past lives are making themselves heard. We all want love. The freedom to pursue our dreams. The open road. The wind in our hair and a song in our hearts. But this happiness takes different forms for all of us. So what do we do?

We go inward, into our own darkest corners and shadows, until we clear out our house of imprisonment. Our house of judgment. Our house of rights and wrongs. Our house of control and fear. Our house of limitations and darkness. We go inward until we realize that the walls between us are a mere illusion, and once we break them down the light will pour in.

I'm asking you this: Meet me here. In the middle of the aisle. Dance with me, to the music of this miracle that is our time together on this Earth. Look at me in my eyes, and see that we are the same. Meet me here, in the space in between. There is hope here.

-Ulrica Forrest.