Liminal Space 5: Tending
When something meaningful is calling for attention or care
This is the unsung hero of liminal spaces.
It doesn’t present as liminal. It shows up as a problem we’re putting off, an intractable dilemma, or something we assume is simply lost to us.
But therein lies the magic.
Maybe it’s your physical life.
You were once a professional athlete. You knew how to train, how to push, how to perform.
But now, without the structure of competition, moving your body feels confusing.
You’re not trying to win anymore—you’re trying to reconnect. And you’re not sure how.
Maybe it’s your creative life.
You used to sing in a gospel choir. Or write poetry. Or build things with your hands.
That part of you is quieter now—but not gone.
You just haven’t found your way back yet.
Maybe it’s connection.
You’ve been estranged from a sibling or parent or a dear friend for years.
Not because of one catastrophic event—but a slow buildup of distance and pain.
And lately, you’ve found yourself wondering: Could this relationship be rewritten?
Maybe it’s purpose.
You read the headlines. You feel the urgency. You want to be useful.
But every time you consider stepping in—writing the letter, joining the board, attending the rally—you freeze.
You care deeply, but you don’t know where to begin.
Maybe it’s belonging.
You moved to a new city. You know your neighbors' names, but not their stories.
You go out, but you’re not yet known. You’re craving something more rooted—but haven’t found your way in.
Each of these moments holds a quiet question:
How might I honor this desire in me?
They aren’t reinventions.
They’re invitations—to reconnect with something that still matters.
This is the liminal space of tending.
And OMG is it powerful if you say yes to it. These seemingly invisible things matter… in a way we often don’t even realize until we tend to them. I remember one of my own: I’d lived overseas for so long that I wondered if I’d ever return to the U.S. Once I did, I realized there’d been a low hum most of my years away, quietly asking me when I’d reconnect with my home country.
So if you feel a whispering question, inquire whether it’s a liminal space waiting to be tended to.
And if it is, I’m so excited to hear what magic unfolds when you do.
P.S. If you’re in this space, read on and join me this week…
I’m in the middle of five blog posts where I’m sharing the five different types of liminal spaces, from most obvious to least. (Not for nothing, I’ve been through every one — more than once!)
If this space feels familiar to you, join me for Liminal by Design on May 9. (Or sign up to get the recording and access to the month-long pop-up community.)
It’s a short, potent course to help you make sense of this moment—and take tangible action inside it.
You’ll also get the rest of this series delivered straight to your inbox when you sign up.
Photo via Unsplash