Empty doesn't always mean lacking. Sometimes it can also mean open and ready to be filled.
The greatest works of poetry, literature and philosophy all began with an empty page. The authors poured thoughts and feelings out onto blank paper and brought wisdom to life.
Every priceless Monet painting was once a bare canvas that became his creative playground. Empty stadium seats beckon to eager fans to come and enjoy the game. A bare table and chairs hosts a family dinner where bellies are filled and strong relationships are forged. Great things often come of empty spaces.
But what about when your heart and spirit feel hollow? What about then? When a loved one has died, a marriage has ended in divorce, or a job has been lost and disillusionment and loneliness are suffocating companions.
Sometimes the void between your hopes and dreams and your actual reality seems too vast to cross. Time moves agonizingly slow and yet too quickly at the same time, with little meaning or purpose. Days turn into months and years, that aren't the way you once imagined life would be. You feel frustrated, bored, alone and tired. With nothing left to give.
EMPTY.
But consider this...
It is often from emptiness that beauty is born, and only empty arms are free to give a hug to someone who needs one. Empty bank accounts, wine glasses and gas tanks can all be refilled. Souls can be too.
Not all empty means barren desolation. It can also equal anticipation, opportunity and variety. It's about learning to focus on the possibilities rather than what is missing. Looking for the new beginnings that can only exist as a result of something else ending. I don't mean to pretend disappointments don't hurt. Of course they do. And some pains weave themselves into the very fabric of your being to become integral parts of your personal story. But ask yourself....what good can come of this? What lessons can I learn? How can I grow, expand and share? What can this empty become that can strengthen me and benefit others?
The answers might not come immediately. They will arrive when you are ready to receive them. But in the meantime, don't be afraid to sit with these questions for awhile...
... in the deep and quiet soul place that only empty can provide.
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