"Since we cannot change reality,
let us change the eyes which see reality."
Start Quote
When an artist prepares to draw or paint,
she carefully considers the balance between both
"positive shapes" and "negative spaces".
Positive shapes are the instantly recognizable objects that are rendered
on paper or canvas, such as a bowl of fruit in a still life.
The negative spaces surround the objects
and define them with a boundary.
As many artists will tell you,
it is far easier to draw the negative spaces
between the positive shapes before anything else.
That's because,
to the eye trained to see beauty,
nothing is invisible.
What looks empty to the rest of us
appears to the artist's eye as full,
a complete mystery in its own right.
The space surrounding the bowl of fruit
is as important as the bowl itself
if Wholeness is to emerge.
In the Japanese culture, the negative spaces in
art, philosophy, religion, design, business, and life
are not thought of as empty but rather as "full of nothing."...
The empty space is pregnant with possibility,
shrouded by the unknown
until the time is right for it to be revealed....
Which explains why my mantel is bare at this moment.
Gradually, through Simple Abundance, I have discovered that I've outgrown the objects that lived there for years, and my authentic self has yet to reveal what should now take their place, if anything.
So, at least for a little while,
I am enjoying the fullness of nothing.
It's difficult for many of us to accept that emptiness
-in life or in a living room-
can have a positive influence.
I think we need to learn how to tolerate more empty spaces.
We need either to become more comfortable with
waiting to fill what's empty with what's authentic
or become just willing to accept
the exquisite fullness of nothing....
Today you might like to create some empty spaces in your home to jump-start your ability to see things in a new light...
Experience the fullness of nothing for a week.
Then pretend you have just moved into a new home.
End Quote
I actually have quite a bit of empty space in my home.
Mostly it's on the walls.
Partly because frames are expensive,
and I haven't found what I'm looking for at thrift stores yet,
and the few that I have have not been put up yet
because pictures haven't been printed........
I always see the empty walls and think
"ugh"...
I also see the bare wall by my bed that I want to put a barn door in to replace the door leading to the bathroom.
I see the bare corner upstairs where I want floor to ceiling book shelves and seating, a cozy little book nook.
I walk up to my house and see that huge square of empty concrete that could be home to a marvelous little tiered and layered planter.
There aren't many empty places in my home that I don't already know what I want to go there.
But the reality is that I can't fill those spaces right now,
so why not "accept the exquisite fullness of nothing"?
***
Gratitude Journal
***
1) A lazy day. All we did was cuddle, watch movies, have some great piano lessons (my kids rock), take super long naps, eat tacos, play in the water, do some laundry....and that's it. It was wonderful.
2) Robbie reminding me that I wanted to mop every day. I had sat down on the couch and he was like "what are you doing?" I had completely forgotten. Day three, 10 minutes each day, and the floor is staying clean. Yesssssssssss.
3) Wednesdays really are the worst. Monday you're all excited to start the week, Tuesday you're movin' and grooving', and then Wednesday hits you like a load of bricks. Thursday is one day before Friday, Friday is, well, Friday, and then the weekend takes the cake. I'm glad today is over, and that I had it.
4) The kids are starting to play imaginary games together. It's super cute.
5) Robbie did the dishes. Even though I used almost every pot we have to cook dinner...he still did them without complaint. He's awesome.
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