Interstitial Spaces

The day is starting grey and cool. The temperature is 56 degrees fahrenheit. Today is Friday.

It’s been years since the idea of “interstitial spaces” has been a part of considering how the world works. Those spaces are not clearly defined or easy to see because such spaces are everywhere. The fact is that the vital energy of life exists in the places that are the connective systems that keep everything alive and functioning.

With no expertise, except a human with a body that so far, is blessed to be functional, here is an attempt at explaining the thought:

Think about the body’s organs. We have the heart, the liver, the kidney and more. How do these stay healthy and able to function as they are meant to function? They are connected through what exists in the interstitial space and cannot function without the proper operating systems of the blood, nerves, and ubiquitous fluids that are at once everywhere and nowhere in particular. When things break down, those are the places where diagnosticians look to find signs of exacly where the troubles might exist and how serious those troubles might be. The ultimate treatment to regain health, often follows whatever is found in the interstitial spaces of our bodies.

Now, shift to how we are doing in the world today. It seems we may be on the road to moving ourselves into physical harm, and ultimate regret once again. We thought that the organs of our society were working well or at least functional - the courts, the congress, and local governments. We thought our values of keeping people fed, housed, and free to align with whatever spiritual or political or social relations we had were safe. As we lived our lives, we experienced relative predictability by simply following the rules of the road, as prescribed. And then, one day things shattered. That shattering continues as systems and organs reveal they have been compromised. How did it happen?

The interstitial spaces of our collective lives had not been tended to for too long. Those are spaces where people - familiar and not familiar - could come together for sharing stories, having a meal together, inviting others to spend time in ceremonies that anchor cultures and communities. Such sharing and generosity happened last night in a cafe in Culver City where people responded to an open invitation to come and build a different kind of movement - one that invites people to connect and reconnect every time a reminder is needed that we exist in relationship to one another. From the elder who talked about being revived by her beloved son, to the musicians to took everyone into a deep rif on their drums, to the story of coming face to face with a dolphin relative in the open seas, exchanging understanding about the value of apology and forgiveness.

How we care for ourselves while caring for others is a way to build health and confidence within. Saying “yes” to invitations that have no specific purpose other than to meet and share the energy of your day is another way to allow possibilities to enter your life and keep you vital and aware of your connection to the rest of the world. Helping someone who we encounter in distress, inviting people to experience a conversation that is intimate and without any obligation, or just spending a moment to see where your own creativity might lead — these are all the interstitial spaces of our lives. These are not moments of luxury. These are vital to making it possible for all of us to stay grounded, connected, and well.