We find ourselves at a threshold between one year and the next or one season to the next. Spring is a time of renewal, new life, growth, and turning our attention from the inward winter months to the outward connection around us. We see our society changing, our political climate changing, our city largely changing. And with all this newness, we get distracted by things that are out of our control. I want to talk about it because those are all things out of my control. We may have been in a season of liminality all last year between one thing and the next. Maybe we were put on hold in business, career, or relationship. I am discovering that this middle space is of the utmost importance. We all have our personal threshold. A liminal space, if you will, where we are caught in the middle of what was 'before' us and what is 'next.' And it is in these spaces where transformation takes place.

"liminal spaces are where we are betwixt and between the familiar and the completely unknown. There alone is our old world left behind, while we are not yet sure of the new existence. That's a good space where genuine newness can begin. Get there often and stay as long as you can by whatever means possible. This is a sacred space where the old world can fall apart, and a bigger world is revealed. If we don't encounter liminal space in our lives, we start idealizing normalcy."

-Franciscan friar Richard Rohr

2020 was a time of prolonged liminal spaces for me. It began in January of losing my housing and living in a liminal space of having a home and not having a home; sleeping on friends couches, live in dog sitting, traveling, and trying to travel for work. The next liminal space was unemployment, in-between jobs but also in-between holding out for hopes of doing artistic opportunities in performance. Now in this space of unknowing lies a lot of pain, turmoil, unknowing, nihilism, existentialism, all of which I won't spend energy glorifying. Instead, I want to frame the focus on forward movement.

These spaces of liminality afford themselves to incredible discoveries, rediscovering self, or reinventing self. For me personally, living in a liminal space made me rethink stability, rethink career goals, rethink what success means, and rethink what balance looks like.

I finally got stable housing with roommates who are former high school and college friends. And found new ventures to inject creativity into our money-making prospects.

In an instant, it all can change

In a single breathe it all can change

In a moment, Fear, Guilt, Shame eradicated

Replaced with Freedom, Creativity

And with that, the deed was done, sealed in gratitude, wrapped in serve, and nothing added to it.

May your 2021 be full of present-ness, may the well-being of those around you be vivid in your memory, may freedom and creativity reign supreme, and your success and brightness of your future inevitable.

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Duncan Clark Menzies was raised in Coeur d'Alene and recently moved back from Seattle where he was a freelance performer and model. Duncan studied voice at the University of Idaho and North Idaho College. Now, working at The Art Spirit Gallery as Brand and Events Manager, he loves connecting with the community, artists and bringing dreams and ideas to reality. Duncan is currently working on an art project, The Bed Sheet Chronicles, illustrating and talking about the things we cover in life as he enjoys actively performing in staged works and the like. Duncan enjoys taking in the northwest's beautiful hikes, calisthenics, piano, woodworking, traveling, singing in empty spaces.