The Space Between (Answer All Questions with Complete Sentences)

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The Space Between (answer all questions with complete sentences)

What if you had a major decision to make? Perhaps you're thinking of trying out for the basketball team. It would be fun, but it would also be a huge time commitment, and your grades are already sliding. Or, maybe one of your friends has started hanging out with a rough crowd, and you don't know if you should confront her or look at it as an opportunity to find new friends. Or, maybe you know someone is planning to have a party when his parents won't home. Do you go, or hang out at home and stay out of trouble? We're all faced with big decisions like these on a daily basis. The choices we make are what help mold and shape us—they make us who we are.

Would you believe that when facing a big decision, sometimes the best thing you can do is nothing? That's right, nothing!

INTERPRET:What do you think the author means by saying that sometimes "nothing" is the best thing you can decide to do?

You might think that's impossible. Maybe you have always learned to jump right into action, to make quick decisions, and to take control."

EVALUATE: What do you think is the best way to face a major decision?

Lao Tzu was an ancient philosopher and spiritualist who helped form a belief system called Tao. Tao means "the way." Think about these wise words from Lao Tzu for a moment.

... When clay is shaped into a vessel,
It is the space inside that makes it useful ...

What can it mean to consider the "space inside"? Think about a vase that wouldn't have a space inside. It couldn't hold flowers or water. It wouldn't be functional at all. Therefore, it's not the clay that gives a vase its purpose as much as it is the hollow middle.

MONITOR COMPREHENSION: REREAD:Reread the above paragraph. Restate what the author is saying in your own words.

How can we apply Lao Tzu's thinking to our lives? Perhaps, we can think about the space with us—in our hearts and minds. But how can we find our space? How can we make this space useful?

Maybe it's by slowing down. We don't have to jump to an answer right away. We can take time to think about things. We can reflect and consider both sides of a decision. We don't have to commit to anything before we feel comfortable doing so.

Next time you have an important decision to make, you can try the following exercise. First, remember Lao Tzu and look for your space within. Let nothing be your goal.

INTERPRET: What do you think the author means by saying, "Let nothing be your goal"?

Here are a few steps you can take toward finding nothing.

1) Look for a quiet space in your home or backyard where you can go and sit for awhile, someplace where you can shut your eyes, and rid your brain of its racing thoughts. It's best to pick a spot where you won't be interrupted by anyone. You will be going inward, looking for nothing, and you will need peace for this.

CONNECT: Where is the place you like to go when you need quiet time? Explain why you pick this particular place for quiet time.

2) Now, shut your eyes and relax the muscles in your face. Relax the muscles in your shoulders. Relax your head and neck. Take a few slow, deep breaths. If a random thought enters your mind, imagine sending it off into the air. You don't need your thoughts right now, you don't need anything.

3) You can use your quiet time to let your imagination fly. Imagine that your feet have roots that reach deep down into the earth and pull up strength. Imagine the power of the earth running through your veins. Clear your mind of anything that is taking up space in your mind, such as a bad or negative thought. Whatever it is, imagine you are emptying it down into the earth. You don't need these things anymore. You are now emptying your vessel, preparing it for nothing.

4) Now you can ask yourself question because you've made plenty of room for an answer. Most likely, you will feel your answer in your body somewhere. If you have a burning feeling inside your stomach, or you suddenly get a headache, or feel like you can't breathe, you will know what your decision should not be. If you get a welling feeling inside your chest, or you feel warm and peaceful about your thoughts, then this is probably your answer. It is inside this space that answers will come, and your body should tell you pretty clearly.

EVALUATE: Do you think these four steps would work for you when you have to make a decision? Why or why not?

This state of "nothingness" is actually something that many people all over the world practice. Some people call it meditation or visualization. There are whole courses on these practices, so don't be discouraged if nothing doesn't come to you right away. You may try it for a few minutes each day. You may want to try it once in awhile when the mood strikes you. But when you do try it, you can be sure of one thing. Whenever you seek answers through your inner state of "nothingness," you are seeking answers from a very wise source—yourself.

MONITOR COMPREHENSION: REREAD: Reread this paragraph. What do you think the author is saying is the whole point of doing the exercise mentioned above?

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