Some Thoughts on Liminal Space

a.k.a Why I Like Airports

Blaise Pascal, 17th-century French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer, and philosopher, wrote:

Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known

The word “liminal” comes from the Latin root, limen, which means “threshold.” The liminal space is the “crossing over” space – a space where you have left something behind, yet you are not yet fully in something else. It’s a transition space.

I first encountered this concept not in a religion class in college (looking this up online, most sites that discuss it are theological, and it is used a lot in describing religious rituals), but listening to a podcast on a run a couple years ago. The author (and, as it were, pastor) Rob Bell was discussing liminal space and making the point that, while it’s tempting to rush through it as quickly as possible and get on to the next “known” thing, if we can relax and be patient, there is magic in these in-between spaces.

I had just gone through a particularly difficult breakup, and was not at all enjoying the awkward and lonely “space” that I found myself in.

There’s magic in this?, I thought….Seems unlikely. Doesn’t feel real magical right now.

But in hindsight, it was. It really was. I’ll spare you the whole story, but suffice it to say I didn’t rush into the next relationship. (Still haven’t, but we’ll talk about that another time). I used that in-between time to strengthen my relationships with my friends and family and to start traveling more. I would absolutely not be the adventurous traveler that I am now had I not embraced that uncomfortable unknown space and been open to what I could learn from it.

During another liminal space after my divorce many years ago, I noticed how much I love airports when I travel internationally, and I didn’t connect the two things until here recently.

I remember it like it was yesterday: my first solo trip. Eight years ago. I deplaned in Heathrow, connecting to Paris, and had an hour or two to wait. I walked into the main hall of the international terminal and nearly burst into tears when I heard the cacophony of hundreds of different languages. The sea of humanity talking and eating and drinking and running for flights…it felt, well, magical. It heightened my feeling of adventure and made me feel like anything could happen.

Those of you who travel for a living are probably rolling your eyes at me right now, but come on… you’ve felt it.

And those of you who knew me then remember that trip to France …it was magical, and all kinds of things I could never have predicted did happen. It was an adventure and a soap opera and a big old party all rolled into one trip. And I felt it it coming when I walked into that hall in Heathrow.

So this is all to say that I think this is why I like airports. I don’t just love travel in the sense that I like to BE other places, I actually like the GETTING to the other places too. I like the space between. I have an itinerary in Amsterdam and London, sure, but anything could happen. I’ve left my regular life behind for a week.

I enjoy the liminal space that airports represent. They give you the chance to transition into the next thing, the energy of where you’re going.

Plus, I was just in the TSA line with the entire Colorado Rapids soccer team. That was a nice way to start a vacation. I’ll take that view with my liminal space anytime. 🙂

Now I’m sitting in Elway’s in terminal B in DIA having a big lunch and a drink, so that I can sleep on my flight to London and dream of the incredible things waiting to be known there….

Cheers!

Traveling Girl