In-Between

I have found myself in that place of in-between. It is a place I have lived over and over again in the last few years. It is the place between what was and what is becoming. At times it has been such a sweet place, a place of tenderness, of meandering and of acceptance. At other times it has been, to say the least, a struggle of judgment, of desire to push forward with something, with anything.

A place to revel

This in-between place is not a place that our society revels in and yet it is a place where I have learned so much. For me, it has been an integration welcoming home the pieces of me that I have exiled, siloed or denied existed. It has been a time of unravelling the identities that I have cherished and yet also carried as a burden. This in-between time of not being here nor there has a name. A friend reminded me of it last night – liminal space. Strangely enough a few months ago I proofread another dear friend’s Masters thesis and it was all about this liminal space. I was comforted by her words as I read. Liminal space is there with every change we make in life. It is like the train ride between two beloved destinations. It provides a time for reflection, integration, and opening to possibilities.

What I have learned in this space is:

• To notice what is and be there, no matter what.
• To be okay with the emotions that arise within me.
• To sit in uncomfortableness.
• To allow for wandering. (I have wandered aimlessly through books, videos, websites, nature, and conversations. Aimlessly is the key word here.)
• To trust inspired action will come.
• To let go of forcing things to happen. Learning to allow them to appear and then make a choice.
• To find tenderness in my moments of self-judgment.
• To trust that I know what I need.
• To open space to explore the depth of who I am.
• To surround myself with souls who can hold a beautiful space for me to begin to recognize myself.

Awakening awareness

Taking time to soak in this liminal space is counter to what we are taught in our culture that seems to call for continued doing, scheduling and action for the sake of action. Marinating in this space has awakened an awareness in me that could have taken lifetimes to discover. It is like I have been seasoned with a deeper understanding, more wisdom, more compassion. I am grateful for the gifts I have been provided. From this day forward I give myself tenderness.

Questions for reflection

What are you in-between at this time?

How can you invite more tenderness into your life?

Remember you are amazing, you are capable and you deserve your tenderness.