The Space Between

The answer you glossed over on your way to the hopeful part.

We almost made it through May.

For those of us with school-age kids, this final stretch is its own kind of gauntlet of concerts, projects, ceremonies, and the particular exhaustion of finishing. This week I sat in my kids' end of year awards ceremony, at a school that does something I love: every child gets written about by their teachers. They aren't ranked or compared, but celebrated in their own specific seen and named way. 

The room was full of creativity, kindness, grit, imagination, empathy. All the qualities that make for a beautiful world, gathered in one auditorium, attached to actual children who are out here doing the brave work of becoming.

I cried, obviously.

But here's what stayed with me on the drive home. Someone asked me how I was doing and I said, "It's been a full week!" Which was true and also said nothing.

What I might have said: I watched a room full of children get told exactly who they are and I felt something loosen in my chest that I didn't know was tight.

We do this constantly in seasons of transition. We answer "how are you?" with the highlight or the hopeful glimmer. We skip straight to excitement about what's next.

But that space between, where you actually want to say "This year made me question everything I thought was real," or "I don't know what I'm doing this fall," or even just "It's a lot "— that's where connection lives.

If you're peering into a new season wondering why it doesn't feel the way it's supposed to, you're not broken. You're just honest.

Honest is a great place to start.

It is a privilege to make this way with you.

--Elaine

I made something for exactly this moment when life feels full, but not fulfilled. It's the Subtraction Practice, five ways to access rest without adding another thing to your to-do list. Grab it here for free.

This reflection is part of Wayfinder's Weekly, my free Monday newsletter for people navigating threshold seasons. Subscribe here

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