Looking Around in Liminal Places

December 1, 2021 4:54 pm

I used to take a lot of pictures. I was constantly looking around for ways to save the moment, so I could go back to it later. One day my husband said, “Put down the camera and enjoy what’s happening!” I take pictures quite a bit less now. My husband was right. I was missing some pretty wonderful things in my effort to catch the fleeting moments. More often now, you will find me savoring “Right Now”: just being alive, present, and in the moment.

We spend a lot of time “looking around” for something that will bring us a better tomorrow. “What’s Next” is one of our biggest preoccupations. What would happen if we focused on “Right Now” instead? There is another challenge here. We also spend a lot of time trying to return to “Yesterday.” Present moment living is a skill that takes effort to master. I recently noticed that all my looking doesn’t change a thing. I am still right here. I cannot go backwards or forwards from the in-between space I find myself. This is called a liminal space and it can be an uneasy and disquieting experience for many. I am learning to just sit in it and embrace what comes my way. I am working toward the day when I stop looking around and it’s natural for me to just be present. I will no longer look back or forward. This blog is an encouragement for us to reach towards the day when we are no longer looking around, and the Present Moment is the moment we are happiest to sit within.