Fire, no electricity, snowbound with a good book and no smartphone sounds heavenly! I guess there is something magical about small spaces or places that are cut off from everything that makes us anxious (social media, rest of the world). I’ll check out the Michael Pollan book. Thanks, Mr. Switter!
Yes!! I resonated with wanting a space you never have to give up. I have a bed in a cabinet in my room, for when I need a whole night to myself. My husband sometimes offers to sleep there when he has been waking me up at night with his varieties of restlessness… but I never let him!
That’s great! Though finding out about this aspect really surprised me- I thought I was easy going, etc. but from the beginning, I could never share the space where I do my creative work. Thanks, Abra, great to hear from you!
I really love this; I felt transported and could really identify with wanting to have an area of one's own. I hope that everyone who reads this is inspired to find their own space!
Shital, I love that book! “A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction” is such an important observation. Thank you for reading!
Everything starts with empty space, and us in the middle of it. As I get older, I think embodiment is the secret. Thank you for reading, Reena! Much appreciated!
Dear Priya, There's something about being held close, whether by a small room or a best friend or a wife or a husband, that is wonderfully reassuring, comforting and nurturing. That embrace lights a creative spark, a pilot light as it might be called. Or being able to push the button that causes the spark to light a flame within. That's what you brought to my mind with your story, making space and time for the journeys ahead, yes, journeys plural. May yours be rich with discoveries and celebrations!
Gary, you’re right, the nurturing/embracing quality of the room was really important. Also, a kind of smaller the room, the lesser its pressure on me. Thank you for reading! Much appreciated!
Interesting phenom about smaller being less, and the converse of less being more. I wrote a piece about less being more and will try to find it. Thanks. Here is an early version and there were several revisions and updates in the past few years.
“What would improve the quality of your life that is within your reach?”
This is such an excellent question, Gary, and asking widens (enlarges) your life experience.
With my small room- and it speaks again to our relationship to our surroundings, their size, quality, etc. - I think it was a cocooning or a return to a womb-like space, where something new can be born.
This brings so much to mind. When I was married and things weren't going well, one of the things I wanted was a room of my own. Since my husband used the guest room as a recording studio I took the laundry room and made it my little space. You had to go outside and it opened into the backyard. The marriage didn't last but having a space of one's own did. Now I use the guest bedroom as my writing room, with a writing desk that a friend made me. I have an office too but I use that for my editing work. I feel different in that writing space.
LeeAnn, thank you for pointing out the difference between a room where we work and a room where we write or create. Sure, we could use the same space, but there is a subtly different quality, a sacredness.
Since sometime in secondary school, I developed a habit of asking myself why any given small space, shed, RV, boat, garret or tiny house wasn’t all the space I needed. “Why would someone need more space than that?” I often ask the question to my old guy, who always agrees with me. Then he describes how good it would be to have a fire, no electricity, and snowbound with a good book.
And I just remembered a wonderful book by Michael Pollan, call A Place of My Own, in which he goes about creating his own “why would I need any more space than this?”
I wonderful piece to illuminate the journey of claiming, and sometimes reclaiming, space.
When I moved into my new place for the first year I wrote at the desk in my room, but in the summer it gets really hot in my room and so I started writing at the table in the living room. And now, even though it’s cold at the moment, I can’t go back to writing in my room. The living room just feels right somehow, it’s just the space where I write. — you’re story reminded me of that experience. :)
This was such a delightful and cozy read, Priya! I love that you claimed this little space as your own and that it's allowed your creativity to flourish. I dream of having something similar in my home one day :)
Not all of us have a Walden Pond to retreat to like Thoreau but a tiny ‘box room’, as we say in UK is all that’s needed to spark whatever journey one is on. Wonderful read Priya.
Fire, no electricity, snowbound with a good book and no smartphone sounds heavenly! I guess there is something magical about small spaces or places that are cut off from everything that makes us anxious (social media, rest of the world). I’ll check out the Michael Pollan book. Thanks, Mr. Switter!
Those inner journeys take us to the outside with more clarity 🙏
Dee, I agree! Thank you for your reading!
Your home made room for you, with the closet, Priya. And your creativity blossomed.
We never know where these subtle beginnings will lead. Thanks as always, Jeanine!
This is lovely. Thank you for sharing how you found a space for yourself where you can create. You found you. 🥰
I love having a home office. It's my she-shed.
Carissa, thanks for reading! Yeah, that’s exactly how it felt- finding myself. I’m all for she-sheds!
Yes!! I resonated with wanting a space you never have to give up. I have a bed in a cabinet in my room, for when I need a whole night to myself. My husband sometimes offers to sleep there when he has been waking me up at night with his varieties of restlessness… but I never let him!
That’s great! Though finding out about this aspect really surprised me- I thought I was easy going, etc. but from the beginning, I could never share the space where I do my creative work. Thanks, Abra, great to hear from you!
I really love this; I felt transported and could really identify with wanting to have an area of one's own. I hope that everyone who reads this is inspired to find their own space!
Jenny, thank you for reading, I appreciate it! And yes to having your own space!
Priya this reminded me of the book : A Room of One's Own
Book by Virginia Woolf. Absolutely loved your piece!!
Shital, I love that book! “A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction” is such an important observation. Thank you for reading!
Lovely Priya -- space has such impact in getting us out of our big brains...we forget we are embodied creatures at our peril, don't we?
Everything starts with empty space, and us in the middle of it. As I get older, I think embodiment is the secret. Thank you for reading, Reena! Much appreciated!
Dear Priya, There's something about being held close, whether by a small room or a best friend or a wife or a husband, that is wonderfully reassuring, comforting and nurturing. That embrace lights a creative spark, a pilot light as it might be called. Or being able to push the button that causes the spark to light a flame within. That's what you brought to my mind with your story, making space and time for the journeys ahead, yes, journeys plural. May yours be rich with discoveries and celebrations!
Gary, you’re right, the nurturing/embracing quality of the room was really important. Also, a kind of smaller the room, the lesser its pressure on me. Thank you for reading! Much appreciated!
Interesting phenom about smaller being less, and the converse of less being more. I wrote a piece about less being more and will try to find it. Thanks. Here is an early version and there were several revisions and updates in the past few years.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/less-more-gary-gruber/
“What would improve the quality of your life that is within your reach?”
This is such an excellent question, Gary, and asking widens (enlarges) your life experience.
With my small room- and it speaks again to our relationship to our surroundings, their size, quality, etc. - I think it was a cocooning or a return to a womb-like space, where something new can be born.
Thank you for sharing!
So true - your essay shows how personal space can nurture our inner selves and spark new adventures.
Thanks, Tinashe, for reading and sharing! Much appreciated!
This is so beautiful, Priya 🩷
Shana, so good to hear from you and to connect on Substack! Thank you for reading!
This brings so much to mind. When I was married and things weren't going well, one of the things I wanted was a room of my own. Since my husband used the guest room as a recording studio I took the laundry room and made it my little space. You had to go outside and it opened into the backyard. The marriage didn't last but having a space of one's own did. Now I use the guest bedroom as my writing room, with a writing desk that a friend made me. I have an office too but I use that for my editing work. I feel different in that writing space.
LeeAnn, thank you for pointing out the difference between a room where we work and a room where we write or create. Sure, we could use the same space, but there is a subtly different quality, a sacredness.
Since sometime in secondary school, I developed a habit of asking myself why any given small space, shed, RV, boat, garret or tiny house wasn’t all the space I needed. “Why would someone need more space than that?” I often ask the question to my old guy, who always agrees with me. Then he describes how good it would be to have a fire, no electricity, and snowbound with a good book.
And I just remembered a wonderful book by Michael Pollan, call A Place of My Own, in which he goes about creating his own “why would I need any more space than this?”
I wonderful piece to illuminate the journey of claiming, and sometimes reclaiming, space.
When I moved into my new place for the first year I wrote at the desk in my room, but in the summer it gets really hot in my room and so I started writing at the table in the living room. And now, even though it’s cold at the moment, I can’t go back to writing in my room. The living room just feels right somehow, it’s just the space where I write. — you’re story reminded me of that experience. :)
Michael, that’s great! Some places start to have that creative energy. Thank you for reading!
This was such a delightful and cozy read, Priya! I love that you claimed this little space as your own and that it's allowed your creativity to flourish. I dream of having something similar in my home one day :)
Brina, thank you for reading!
Not all of us have a Walden Pond to retreat to like Thoreau but a tiny ‘box room’, as we say in UK is all that’s needed to spark whatever journey one is on. Wonderful read Priya.
A box room seems like a great place! Thanks, Josephine!