Yesterday we went on a family outing to Sunflower Farm. It was a perfectly gorgeous day, an opportunity for Willa to reconnect with her favorite animals, and a time for me to play with a camera. Moving as quickly as humanly possible, she was a constant yellow and pink blur so I didn’t even try to photograph her. Instead, I spent time with the animals and whatever else looked interesting. The low-hanging almost-winter sun provided a lot of intriguing lines and shadows, but the physical pens also gave me plenty of opportunity to peek through and experience what was between the lines.
Sheep Choir
Mason joined me on my photo walk. We spent a long time at the sheep pen because they were having the most engaging conversation. Neither of us had ever heard so much chatter from sheep, and such an interesting range of sounds. Some had a funny, deep Mleeeeehhhh sound that totally made our day. It was almost a honking sound. Tongues out, mleeehhhhhh mleeehhhhh mllleeeehhhhhh. It was the best! The sheep in the image at the top of this post (today’s Project 31 offering) was especially mleeehhhhh-ey.
In any case, while awesome and highly entertaining, that isn’t where I’m going with this post. What I’m drawn to in my image is the lines and the space between them.
Between the Lines
We are all familiar with the idea of reading between the lines, that here is where we will find the true meaning of something. Or, the idea of pushing boundaries, breaking free from them, even that we create our own boundaries and therefore can disintegrate them all the same.
Today I’m looking at intentional, functional, necessary boundaries and what happens between them. Think of the walls of your home, a glass of water, cell wall integrity, airplane fuselage. Entirely necessary and they provide the framework for something to happen or be contained within.
The sheep pen is exactly that. A place for the small herd to thrive in, have deep mlllehhhh conversations, nurse their babies, and say hello to visitors like me. They are not solid walls, but rather appropriate boundaries.
Healing Boundaries
In my healing journey, I’m working with clearly delineated boundaries. Distinct edges held firmly in place while new growth takes place between them. The power of our bodies’ ability to heal itself, right there between the lines.
The black space between the bones is where the magic is happening and it wouldn’t be possible without the rigidity of the white walls and metal flanking it.
Training Between the Lines
How do I workout like this? Simple – I stay in my lane. I push where I can and work around my limitations. Ever morning I tune in carefully before I even begin and then I pay attention to how I recover. I control the controllables and accept the uncontrollables, all with these clearly defined lines in mind.
Train hard and focus on what you can control.
– James Clear
Your Lines
Look at your own variety of lines. Are they mutable and meant to be moved? Or are they functional and necessary? Defining them and minding them makes all the difference with what happens between the lines.
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