A friend of mine asked last week, “why do people blog?” That led to a wonderfully rambling conversation, but the specific answer I offered about my blog was that I was hoping to model a practice of reflection. OK, more truthfully, I hope to model a practice of reflection that leads friends to fill the notebooks I sell or give as gifts. But I do sincerely want the practice to be of service to those to pick it up.

But to reflect requires space in your schedule - space is the time you DON’T schedule.

I plan my schedule each week…and I’m notorious for doubling or tripling the number of commitments I make between the time I design that initial plan and the end of the week. The reason I can do that it is I initially plan a very open schedule. I know that “control is an illusion” and that interesting opportunities are going to emerge throughout my days. If I start each week with a fully booked plan, I’ll either miss those serendipitous moments or will frustrate people by missing previously planned conversations.

Space is important because being able to “give” time is important — and you can’t give what you don’t have.

How many times have you felt frustrated when someone wanted to talk with you even as you knew you were running late for a task? And yet of those times, how often have you left such conversations feeling good about giving that person your attention for 5 minutes? …or realizing you were inspired in a new and exciting way? …or recognizing that you learned something helpful? …or, perhaps most important of all, relaxing into what it means to be human?

This coming week, my intention is to continue in pursuit of space. At the end of each day, our time will have been put to use. I want to remember that time is not wasted when I have an empty block on my calendar, it is filled with potential: reflections that can be made, help that can be offered, a ear than can be lent.

By the way, the reason my friend and I could blather on about why people blog is that we both had space for that conversation :)