My Empty Shelf

I have one empty space in my room.

Just one.

empty shelf symbol borders boundaries

I am a natural Tetris player and I swear I can fit more in any given space than the average human. So, needless to say, I have a ton of stuff. It’s all neatly put away, tightly packed, and sometimes vacuum sealed! After cleaning up and putting away the Christmas explosion of decorations, I left one shelf unadorned. It is not because I didn’t have anything that could go there. No, this decision was purposeful. I wanted a daily reminder that my life needs borders and boundaries. I’ve discussed this in a previous post. I learned from Leviticus that margins in gleaning and in life are incredibly important. I have the tendency to fill my time and space to capacity. Truly, I fill it past capacity! If I have something cancel on a Saturday evening, I often have two alternatives which can easily slide into the newly opened space.

My life is full  of both good things and responsibilities. It can seem as though it is filled to capacity with no room for change or chance or imperfection.

I’m giving myself one empty shelf as a symbol.

I long for margins in the midst of expectations and for breathing room to be able to enjoy where I am. My empty shelf will help with that. I won’t fill my life, time, and schedule to capacity. I will leave space for the unexpected and delightful.

What about you? How can your space help define your life?

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