Thin Spaces

"What is a Thin Place? A thin place is a locale where the distance between heaven and earth collapses and we're able to catch glimpses of the divine... Not everyone finds the same places thin. It's what a place does to you that counts. It disorients. It confuses." 

--Eric Weiner, New York Times, 03/11/12 

tucked deep within today's sunday times's travel section was an article about thin spaces ("Where Heaven and Earth Come Closer"). the author, being a travel writer, described having these experiences in places like the Hong Kong International Airport; a bar in Tokyo; and a Sikh temple in New Delhi. 

me- being not a travel writer- my thin places are decidedly less exotic. the place that immediately jumps to my mind is: school. not the schools i went to as a kid, but the schools where i work now. if you ever find yourself doubting that life holds magic, go figure out a non-creepy way to hang out with some kids. my job alternately elevates me + terrorizes me (sometimes at the same time), but there is nothing more divine than playing intensely with a kid. in the past week, i've played dragons, brain surgeons, aliens, + a punished child being eaten by a crocodile- all of which was not only fun + intriguing, but also allowed me to see the world through a particular kid's eyes. disorienting? check. confusing? check. a great ride? absolutely.

as i think more about this idea, i'm realizing that my thin places are rarely physical locations. for me, the times i'm transported out of body + mind are primarily visual/aural experiences: watching Fred Armisen act; watching Kyle Limin dance (here's a clip of his Funkanometry company class; he's the one who turns the music on in the beginning); listening to Whitney Houston, or a Jason Robert Brown song (here's "I'd Give It All For You"- don't watch, just listen); eating hand-pulled noodle soup; performing in a band. during these times, i forget where/who/what i am + simply revel in the gift it is to experience these things. as i get older, these experiences become fewer + farther between- why is that?