Breath of Space
Why is it that some outdoor spaces seem to hold a special place in our hearts? They just feel different or perhaps I should say they make us feel different when we are in them. I specify outdoor because talking about homes and other buildings and structures is a whole other post for another day. However, both manmade and natural spaces most definitely retain energy and that energy radiates and reacts to our own.
In my mind I have a list of such places / spaces. Some are from childhood, such as the perimeter of my grandparents back yard, filled with raspberry and currant bushes. Others are from travels as a young adult, such as the red earth of the hills in Sedona. Then there are the places I've happened upon with my children, like the small patch of pine trees just beyond the duck pond, nothing much in terms of scale, but something about it just feels special.
In the picture above is my daughter standing on a beautiful bank of shale rock that we stumbled upon during our last family geocaching trip. Although the coordinates were taking us further down the trail we had to stop and investigate this little space where the water pooled before flowing into the bigger river. Right away my daughter became mesmerized by the reflective pools of water and the layered rock. She would have stayed there all day if it had not been for her older brother's desperate attempt to pull her away to find the geocache treasure. She had found her spot, completely enamored by this enchanted space.
Some space, such as my grandparents back yard, has an obvious relationship with association and memory. The hills of Sedona became a part of me not just because of their stark beauty but also because of repeated exposure over the two years I resided in Arizona. Yet, some places steal our hearts and we have no idea why. They simply speak to us and upon first meeting a connection is formed.
Energy is that stuff that cannot be seen but can most certainly be felt. From everything I've read and felt it seems that everything has a certain energy and counterpart to it. Perhaps some spaces just match or compliment our own energy in a unique way and this is why we are so drawn to them? It's so fascinating to me. I've always loved the tangible / intangible factors and how the invisible is just as strong and powerful and the visible at times. Imagine our breathe for example. This invisible force cannot be seen but is the energy that keeps us going. I like to think that every space has it's own breathe too.
In todays busy world we don't always have time to linger. We often rush our kids down a trail or tell them to take a quick look because we have to go. But we need to build in time to slow down. Put it on the calendar if that's what you have to do! Ideally, it should become a daily habit. Because this wandering allows children to see. This meandering allows children to connect. Stopping and spending time in a place of their choosing, allows them to tune-in and hear the story that the place holds for them. Giving our children the gift of uninterrupted time in whatever space speaks to them allows them to find their natural counterpart and catch the breathe they so desperately need.
