Negative Space

You need to know bad to know good, right? Live the ying from time to time to get the yang. Just so, you must see the negative space of an image in order to see the image itself, the positive space. The image wouldn't exist without acknowledging the space surrounding it, that so-called negative space.

Living in a family is a positive place. So then the negative space surrounding that family is being away from it. I must spend some time away from my family in order to see what a beautiful thing we are.


A chance to miss them. So many of us stay at home moms/dads/etc. don't have this chance but I think it is really important in order to appreciate how wonderful being a part of a family is. Too often I lose track of the greater purpose and get caught up in the day to day drudgery that goes along with staying home with little children. The constant messes, the inane conversations about whether one can or can not walk on ice in rain boots without slipping (I still maintain, should you ever read this young son, that one can not, which is neither here nor there because you have to wear your snow boots when its icy and snowy outside), the multiplying, regurgitating laundry pile. This drudgery can so easily take over - sometimes I forget I chose to raise my kids full time. Sometimes I lose my patience and yell and then think - is this the best I can do? Maybe I should just get a job and put them in daycare . . .

But then, I take a day to be on my own, leave them with their Dad and do something by myself and it is like suddenly seeing the negative space of an image. You know that 'Aha Moment' when you see the face between the vases? That's when I get my chance to miss them and then the image is so much clearer for me again and I can see them for what they are, the positive space.

So, go on, take a moment to dwell in the negative space outside your family. It's a requirement to be an excellent full-time mom/dad/etc.