The Spaciousness of Emptiness

When I was younger and had housemates, we shared the kitchen. May area of the kitchen cabinets and counter was right near the main entrance. I liked to keep it clear because I liked the spaciousness of that emptiness. My housemates took that empty space as an invitation to leave the newspaper, the mail, their keys, anything they wanted to set down.

Now that in itself is no big deal. It's just that to me, that part of the counter DID have something there. It had open space. It was FULL of spaciousness, and I loved it. After a while, I gave up trying to defend my space on the counter. It was a losing battle. They looked at me like I was nuts. That was nothing new.

But I still enjoy empty spaces. On my kitchen counter. In my home. In my mind.

Clearing the Clutter

Don't you love the way your home looks and feels when you have cleared the clutter? Sometimes I let
the magazines and cat toys pile up because I have so many things I'd rather be doing. Then when I clear it all up - put things away, give some of it away - it feels so good to walk into the room! I only need to clear out a few things to make a big difference. And it feels like it's clearing my mind and making room for good things to come in. It's good Feng Shui.

Clearing My Mind

In the same way that clutter can easily accumulate on the coffee table - or any flat surface - clutter can accumulate in my mind. It is less obvious... that is, until it's hard to sleep or I feel stressed. Then I usually realize that I haven't meditated for a few days. Ah... Time to clear the clutter in my mind. Time to make space in my thoughts. Turn off the TV, put on some soothing music, and breath. Time to clear the recent episodes of How I Met Your Mother and that song that is stuck in my head that I don't even like any more. Time to breath and just be.

Emptiness Isn't Empty

Hubble Photo of Sombrero Galaxy

When I look up at the night sky, that space between the stars isn't empty. There is something there. Think about it. If there were no "empty" space, there would be no stuff in it. We only experience things around us because they exist in emptiness. We are moving through and living in something we cannot see or measure (yet), but it is real. And we are made of the same stuff. I love that. And I love the empty spaces in between.

How About You?

Do you like clearing clutter?
Do you like empty spaces in your home or in your mind?