Living in the In-Between

We were walking alongside a waterfall last week. We actually walked along several waterfalls, rivers, streams, and lakes—and the Arctic Ocean—over the past month. At the precipice of this particular waterfall, my wife turned to me and commented on the collection of whirlpools that swirled at the top of the falls. The energy of the whirlpools is noticeable.

Living life on the edge

There’s a massive push from the flowing river, the eventual pressure—-release?—- that pushes over the edge, the freefall, and the beginning of a new flow at the bottom. It struck me that this is a metaphor for life. 

We live with the pressures of life pushing us towards the next experience. We often linger in the whirlpools of decisions, pressures, and activities. (Some of us get stuck in the whirlpools and simply spin in the chaos). The whirlpool is where we spend much of our time living with responsibilities, expectations, and the pressures of life. Oftentimes, we yearn for what’s next, and I don’t think that’s unique to me. We want to move along to the next adventure, the next experience, the next phase of life, and the next level of whatever we’re pursuing.

The excitement of going over the edge is palpable. This is what makes roller coasters so exhilarating and (or) scary to many. But once over the edge, that exhilaration carries you onto a new path. A new journey. A new direction.

But we live most of our lives in the whirlpool. 

We live in the in-between.

We live between who we were and who we want to be. 

Between where we were and where we are going. 

Between where we are and where we want to be. 

A perfect moment in the Tombstone Mountains, Yukon

We are always in between, and we need to be okay with that.

Philippians 4:12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

When this idea of In-Between struck me, I searched up the meaning. It’s far from a new idea, but it was new to me. It’s been described as a threshold space where an old chapter has ended, but the new one has yet to begin. It’s a time of waiting, of shifting identities, and letting go of uncertainties without knowing what comes next.

Living in the In-Between is the space between your comfort and what you desire, or what you think you desire. 

During our road trip from Ontario to the Northwest Territories, I experienced countless new experiences, but also discovered that my drive to experience what’s next doesn’t stop on vacation. I found myself wondering about the next experience, the next adventure, the next discovery. My challenge to myself is to learn to live in the In-Between paired with contentment.

How do you experience life in the In-Between?