Monday, April 25, 2016

The Space Between Stories

Last week I over heard something about "the space between stories." I sort of fell in love with the phrase, and so of course, I Googled it.  I found several articles, blogs, and even a class dedicated to this idea of "the space between stories."  But without reading many or much of any one of them, I just started thinking about what that phrase means to me.

I think of it like the time between reading two great novels.  It's that feeling you have when you've just finished one amazing book. While you were were reading it, you were so immersed in it, that once it ended, you just weren't ready to dive right into the next one.  If you start in on a new book too soon, it's hard, because you haven't quite let go of the last one.  You might read a few shorter, less meaningful and impactful books while you're waiting for the next really good one. Once you finally find it, all feels right in the world again.  But until then, you're floundering over not having something amazing to read and worried you may never find it again.

For the past few years, I've spent my days wondering and wandering around trying to find my path, my next story, so to speak. Every now and then, I start to feel like I'm finding it, but I keep losing my way.  And I end up feeling frustrated in my lack of clarity, and I also feel guilty that I'm not living a more productive life currently.

I like this idea that I'm just in "the space between stories" My next story is coming. This space is just a breather before something new and great begins. I ran across the following quote from Lissa Rankin that I found very helpful.

When one story has collapsed and one has yet to be born, rest and wait.  You can't rush gestation.

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