Mind The 'Gap'
In the UK the London underground tube service has a legal requirement to advise everyone who travels on their network to ‘Mind The Gap’. This is a warning which is displayed in bold paint at the edge of every platform, and serves as a reminder to both boarding and departing passengers of the carriage, that there is an intentional and very dangerous gap which needs to consciously and cautiously navigated. However, while this vital information is made obviously available to us visually as we utilise their systems, we are often unaware of the many perilous gaps in our life which also offer a very similar warning of caution, while being coupled with an opportunity to become both more self-conscious and self-aware both externally and internally.
Most people subconsciously recognise a ‘gap’ as a place to be filled. Our perception of a gap can be viewed as a void, or an empty space, rather than an invitation to investigate any value or worth it may hold. Whenever a gap shows up in our life there is a vital need for this moment in time to be acknowledged, and also adhered to. So what are our ‘gap’ moments in our own lives? What are these ‘gaps’ which can prevent us from metaphorically falling unintentionally into a perilous place?
Our gap can be described as the necessary ‘pause’ in every conversation we engage in. This moment creates an opportunity for us to think more and respond from a measured place, rather than react from our emotions. This fosters the need for more attentiveness, as well as reinforcing the need for patience from all parties to the conversation. We are more mindful to allow our words to breathe which in turn allows us to be both heard and understood correctly by others.
Our gap can also be described as the available ‘time’ spent in between our waking and sleeping hours. How we choose to spend every minute of the time we are allocated in life within the twenty-four hour timeframe - both minute by minute and even second by second - is determined by what we choose to prioritise. This is an opportunity for us to learn effective time management, and how to utilise our precious time productively for what we believe is within our best interest for that particular day.
Our gap can also be seen as the ‘space’ we are afforded in times of silence. This is the space when our spoken words can take a well earned rest, and allow our thoughts to occupy centre stage. Here is our opportunity to just be still, relax, and breathe. From this space we are gifted the opportunity to remember how without our constant use of physical words offered through our voice, our body language and ultimately our energy can continue to communicate with the both our outer and inner worlds equally.
Our gap is also the vital physical ‘area’ situated between our human ears, which is where our human ‘brain’ resides. Our physical brain lives within this area as a constant reminder that we need to listen deeply to the messages which are being brought to the forefront of our mind. This is our area of thought where whatever we are feeling and experiencing within our heart and our gut is being intentionally transferred to our physical brain for us to pay attention to, prior to making any snap decisions or taking any actions irrationally.
Our ultimate gap is the most prominent, as this is the gap of our life’s ‘journey’. This is the gap which exists in our lives for a very good reason, as is situated between the sunrise and sunset of our life. While our individual life cycle produces several gaps which we can either choose to ignore and step over or recognise and embrace, the gap of our life cycle and whatever we choose to do with it simply cannot be either ignored or indeed avoided.
While it is important to have a plan for our life with our many desires, dreams, goals, and aspirations, and become focused on the ‘how’ we would like to achieve them all, the ‘how’ has minimal importance if we do not pay attention to what we are both thinking and doing behind all of the noise of the planning. The journey itself is our life. While we are focusing on the result we hope to be greeted with at the end of the rainbow, all too often we are forgetting to look up at the many perfectly placed colours and actively cherish every opportunity placed directly in front of us.
If we are not careful we will miss all of the growth led gaps which are designed to allow us the opportunities to steady ourselves and find our barings, on just how far along our life path we actually are. These numerous gaps along our own unique pathway enable us to pause, ground ourselves, and take stock of what we have learned, achieved, and what direction our next steps should be. We will all get from point A to point B in our life eventually. But by choosing to avoid these gaps instead of leaning into them with a curious and embraceful heart and mind, we are depriving ourselves of the beautiful reminders and divine opportunities to be aware of our own mortality, live in the moment, and just be.
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