The Empty Space
Over the Thanksgiving weekend I trimmed the tree and began the 5-day marathon of putting up The Village of Make Believe (a traditional Christmas Garden train layout) under the tree; a display that has evolved over five generations. While trimming the tree and thinking about how to lay out the track, I realized that one word dominated my musings: space. Rearranging the living room to make space for the tree and Christmas Garden. Finding the right space on the tree for a special ornament. Wondering if I was going to have space amidst the buildings for the automated skating rink that I purchased the week before in a junk shop. For that matter, how about the four new buildings for the village? Or space for three track switches?
With the final ornament placed upon the tree, my musings about finding space were put to the test. Now each piece began to be put into its place, often to find that allotted space didn't work. Some places took up too much space or conflicted with what was in a nearby space, and then there were those unique pieces that had to have a "proper space" to be appreciated. Finally, though, like a puzzle each piece found its space and the whole looked and functioned well in its allotted corner space under the tree.
Sitting on the couch, patting myself on the back for a job well-done — looking at the space which was now the Christmas Garden — the thought occurred to me that even though I had thought in terms of manipulating space to get the look I wanted, in truth the final product was much more about of space manipulating me. Space limited my ability to layout buildings and track as I might have wanted to. Space limited my ability to increase the size of the Christmas Garden. Space even went so far as to say, "That's too much in one space."
To sum up my ramblings, I am forced to ask myself: Am I in control of my space, or is my space in control of me? My implies that I am in control, but sometimes I wonder.
In a few days I will be posting some pictures of the Village of Make Believe on "The Photo League" blog.
With the final ornament placed upon the tree, my musings about finding space were put to the test. Now each piece began to be put into its place, often to find that allotted space didn't work. Some places took up too much space or conflicted with what was in a nearby space, and then there were those unique pieces that had to have a "proper space" to be appreciated. Finally, though, like a puzzle each piece found its space and the whole looked and functioned well in its allotted corner space under the tree.
Sitting on the couch, patting myself on the back for a job well-done — looking at the space which was now the Christmas Garden — the thought occurred to me that even though I had thought in terms of manipulating space to get the look I wanted, in truth the final product was much more about of space manipulating me. Space limited my ability to layout buildings and track as I might have wanted to. Space limited my ability to increase the size of the Christmas Garden. Space even went so far as to say, "That's too much in one space."
To sum up my ramblings, I am forced to ask myself: Am I in control of my space, or is my space in control of me? My implies that I am in control, but sometimes I wonder.
In a few days I will be posting some pictures of the Village of Make Believe on "The Photo League" blog.
posted by Frank A. Mills at
3:07 PM
1 Comments:
I'd have to go with the idea that our space controls us....I also have space issues during the holidays. In my case, it's my extrovert tendency to want to invite 200 of my closest friends to my house for a little holiday toddy.
My space considerations say otherwise. Eventually you shape your life to adapt to your space limitations.
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