I’m always going. Or listening or reading. Or doing. I’m afraid to stop and think or more… to FEEL. Eventually I finally do stop. I schedule in some down time, unaware of the deep shifts and stirrings, the deep impact it will have on me.

I plan an escape from the city one weekend, just my daughter and I. We arrive at our destination, each of us with a novel, a few birding guides, a mammal guide, some food, and a large bag of art supplies. My daughter knows how to pack the essentials.

The first day, we sit around the empty house our friend has lent us. We read and we eat. We go for a walk. Again, the essentials. My daughter keeps me on track. That night, we read ourselves to sleep – sweet and quiet dreams. Morning wakes us and my mind is free and open to knowing we have another two days to do whatever we choose. We unravel a huge roll of white paper, pull out our pens, pencils and paint.

Ahhh… – open canvas. A lack of destination, just space to roam without predetermined goals. I remember this place, this stillness and I like it when I finally arrive. My mind is free and able to float where it may. Idle and putter… inefficiently beautiful. We have a whole roll of paper to mark up and blunder upon and appreciate. A whole roll to explore space, unencumbered by appointments, the internet, work, or school.

We have found Mind Space. Heart Space. Emotional and Creative Space. Thank you Mind Space, for showing up when I scheduled you. I have missed you.

Finding this Space, my whole self opens to possibility that isn’t foreseen by the set path I have been walking. My boundaries fail and leave me aware of the vast landscape of creativity that always exists, silently waiting for us to come explore. Images dance around my head, do the jig and the hamster dance in my minds eye. So much possibility when I find space for it. I am lucky to be part of this human-ness. To be curious and alive, creative and flawed, resilient and loving of what I do not know, what I cannot comprehend.

Eventually we roll up our paper, new and wild maps of possibility. We tuck them under our arms and return to our time bound, information rich lives. We make a fire in our back yard on our return to the city and burn our art. We know there is always more to be made. New things to discover and dream. Letting go of what we have made, we make room for more. We have faith that possibilities will show up when we create the space for them.

“The imagination needs moddling – long, inefficient happy idling, daudling, and puttering.”
~ Brenda Veland

May you find some time to moodle, doodle and daudle today.

Nicole Maniez is an acupuncturist, herbalist, yoga teacher and childbirth educator in the Boston area.  She is lucky to get to combine multiple loves into one sweet career, doing what she loves and helping people move closer to health and wholeness.  She is also a momma, an art maker, and an out-of-tune music maker.  Hoping that she will never lose the ability to laugh at her follies (and yours), she cultivates her curiosity in an attempt to keep life entertaining.  She loves mail.  Send her something inspiring – www.nicolemaniez.com.