As an interior designer, I believe great design isn’t just about what you see – it’s equally about what you don’t see… the spaces in between.
The way light moves through a room;
The balance between beauty and function;
The quiet power that a blank span of wall lends to a painting.
Life, too, is often shaped by the spaces in between.
I was reminded of this one recent morning when I went for a soul nourishing walk on Blouberg Beach. I wandered along, lost happily in my thoughts, when I was struck by an interesting observation:
The beach had been covered with pebbles and broken shells – little weapons on the sand, waiting to attack the soles of my feet with their sharp edges and turn my peace into pain. Yet, without contrive or effort, my feet had somehow found all the spaces in between, slipping effortlessly through the gaps.
I had instinctively walked through, not on, the pebbles – without pain; without struggle.
It’s funny how little nuggets of inner wisdom can pop up into our awareness. There, between the pebbles, I had an epiphany:
THIS IS LIFE.
We spend so much time anticipating difficulty, armouring up to protect ourselves from perceived pain and discomfort. Yet, when we surrender into trust; when we simply allow ourselves to move forward in faith – like magically-parting pebbles, that’s when we find that the path somehow bends and shapes beneath us to support our journey forward.
I thought I’d share some of the lessons I’m choosing to carry with me from this moment of insight.
Lesson 1: You Don’t Have to Control Every Step
We live in a world that values control – plans, checklists, measurable outcomes. But the greatest transformations happen when we loosen our grip and are curious to the serendipities that sprinkle our path of life. Just as my feet instinctively found their way between the pebbles, life has a way of guiding us when we let go of the need to dictate every step
Lesson 2: You’re More Supported Than You Realize
Walking across those pebbles, I thought about all the times I’d feared a difficult situation, only to later realize I was supported in ways beyond my imagination. There is a higher orchestration at play – an unfolding of fate – and we are never as alone as we think.
Lesson 3: Beauty Lies in the Flow
Interior design isn’t just about making things look beautiful – it’s about flow, ease, a space that works in harmony with those who inhabit it. The same applies to our lives. The more we resist, the harder the journey feels. But when we surrender to the rhythm of life, we find ourselves moving through it with grace and ease.
Lesson 4: Our Egos Prepare for Hardships That Never Come
How often do we brace for pain that never arrives? In design, I see this often – clients who fear change, who hesitate at the thought of breaking out of their comfort zone. But when they do, they find their space transformed, not just aesthetically, but emotionally, too.
Life is no different.
We waste energy preparing for struggles that, more often than not, never materialize. What if, instead, we believed that everything is happening in Divine order? How much precious time and mental capacity would we free up if we let our courageous souls lead the way, instead of our fearful egos?
So, wherever you are right now; whatever uncertainty lies ahead, know this: the journey is always unfolding in ways you can’t yet see and there will always be potential threats ready to wage war on your plans for peace and progress.
Surrender anyway…
Trust anyway…
Walk forward in faith anyway.
The spaces in between will always lead us home.
Love
