When I was a
marketing major, I learned how the careful arrangement of each element on an advertisement
contributed to its overall design appeal and visual effectiveness. One of the
most vital, yet perhaps overlooked, elements to good design is simply white
space.
There are actually two types of white space: undefined white space—which
is simply a blank sheet of paper or opened document with no ascribed purpose,
and active white space, which occurs when an object is strategically placed in
an undefined white space.
Spaces
between images and words are crucial for creating harmony and achieving
balance. If too many elements are crammed onto a page, essentially the overall message
will be lost in the clutter. Itishardertodecipherthemeaningofmessageswithoutspaces.
Similarly, I believe many marriages are unable to breathe because they are
unknowingly suffocating under a big pile of distractions. Life becomes one big
run-on sentence, with no pauses for breathing, or borders for definition and
meaning.
Just like a room in a house needs habitual
cleaning, a marriage does not exist in a vacuum, but rather an active environment
that requires regular attention. Sometimes a couple’s schedule can get so over-crowded,
and valuable quality time begins to shrink until it is almost non-existent. Regular
date nights are important to protect each week, so the territory of your
marriage is not unintentionally occupied. Sometimes your schedule can be
crowded by seemingly “good things,” but the simple truth is, there are only twenty-four
hours in a day. If your priorities are not protected, others will schedule your
life for you.
So many unforeseen
sacred moments float inside the active white space of our marriage. Laughter.
Unexpected kisses. The unspoken excitement of hopes and dreams begging to take
shape. Moments longing to be memories.
Remember the
elevated sense of expectancy you felt on your honeymoon? Two souls forged
together in spirit with the burning belief that anything was possible. Sometimes
we must intentionally erase the corners of our soul that are cluttered with
negative impressions and images from the past. Perhaps you still have to
forgive your spouse for a disappointment, or maybe you have to forgive yourself
for not meeting an unattainable self-imposed expectation.
Whatever it is,
determine to travel to the destination in your heart where you feel free once
again. One of my favorite verses is Psalm 31:8, “You have not given me into the
hands of the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place” (NIV).
My husband
and I spent our honeymoon on a Paradise-like island called Punta Cana in the
Dominican Republic. It was a surprise honeymoon—I packed my bags with no idea
where I was going, but I knew in my heart it would be incredible. I recently
learned that the literal interpretation of “Punta Cana” means “white point.” :)
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