The Art of Distance – Keeping your space

“It’s so stupid because all I wanted was space and now that I have it, there’s this part of me that’s achingly lonely I could die.” ― Hannah Harrington, Saving June

 

paranormalia

It is crucial that I maintain my personal space, a time and an attitude where I realize and build my independence and self actuality. This is true especially when I am confronted with painful situations: loneliness, periods of failure, and breakups that make me vulnerable to giving up my personal space in order to escape pain and discomfort. During these moments I tend to seek the path of least resistance which, generally, is pleasure rather than discomfort. To begin to find that “distance” of being without losing myself (to people or things) I start by determining that I will have to feel pain and discomfort. Having decided that, the next step is to begin to use my resources, mental, spiritual, physical, to address my place in the social and physical world. Who am I? Have I spent time to find that out? Am I doing what I normally do? Am I doing things that are increasing or decreasing my independence? Am I spending enough time alone? Am I neglecting my personal responsibilities? These questions are used to determine if I am becoming too attached to a person or thing. spending a majority of my time, energy and money pursing that person, or thing, to the exclusion of my normal responsibilities is a violation of my space. I need to find myself, be myself, do what I know to be me. I shouldn’t spend too long with any one person or thing without spending some time alone to reflect on my progress of establishing and keeping my “space”. Separating myself for a moment, mentally, physically, or both, from my circumstance can help me make an art of being distant, of being myself in spite of my passionate involvement with my environment.

11072011

Advertisement