Mind the Gap

The signs are everywhere in the London Underground. They pop up at every tube station– that ubiquitous and efficient message to Mind the Gap between the edge of the platform and the doorway to the train. The phrase has become a well-recognized cultural icon printed on mugs and T-shirts sold at just about every tourist shop in London.  The warning carries with it the idea of vigilance that, in its very British understated way, is not designed to terrorize the general public (as in: If you slip here, your foot will be immediately sliced off and you’ll be dragged underneath a speeding train). Instead it is a reminder that there is a separation, sometimes wide, sometimes narrow, between the place where you currently are (the platform) and the place you intend to go (the train), or vice versa, depending on your perspective.  All it takes to Mind the Gap is to look down momentarily, step carefully, and continue on your way. It is not the ability or lack thereof to navigate the netherworld of London as I have done in my visits to the UK that piques my interest, but the ideas of gaps, and separations and much needed warnings.

There are so many gaps in this life that separate me from where I want to be both as an individual and as a member of the community that surrounds me: gaps between me and my fellow travelers on this earth; gaps of cultural; understanding, of old and new hurts; of failed communication; of damaging experiences; of racial tension or violence; of familial misunderstandings.  There are certainly gaps between what I intend to do, and what I actually do. While we might dream of a world characterized by harmony and understanding, the fact is– it’s not.  The gaps between us are sometimes deep and wide and sometimes so small as to seem imperceptible, but gaps they are, nevertheless. Mind the Gap is a message about reality. The gap between you and me doesn’t go away because we wish it were not so, or because we convince ourselves it doesn’t really matter. Gaps can seem unsurmountable and dangerous. Gaps can also be bridged. Ignoring them is not, however, an option.

I think about how I can be mindful of the gaps, the separations, while at the same time be equally as determined not to let fear of the gap stun me into inaction. Being mindful of the things that separate me from others, or that separate me from my best intentions, is not necessarily a bad thing. It is awareness of the things that divide that can lead to thoughtful solutions. I can look at the gap and imagine the horrors that could result from falling into a dark and scary place. Or I could instead, just Mind the Gap…. Be mindful that intention and action are needed to avoid the dangers that can result from separation.  Mind the Gap. Don’t deny that separations exist, but don’t be so focused on the separation that a paralysis of inaction or resignation sets in. Mind the Gap, is a warning, but a very positive one. Do this, it says, pay attention, it instructs me. Be aware that there is action needed here if I plan on continuing on my way without the need for major medical attention.  If I Mind the Gap, then determinedly move on to where I want and need to be in order to make my connection to some other person, then separations need not be disasters waiting to happen. They can also be challenging places for creating and sustaining understanding, fostering growth and energizing relationships. If I agree with Eckert Tolle that Awareness is the greatest agent for change, then Mind the Gap becomes a pretty important starting point, a heightened awareness that can allow some connection to emerge between you and me… Mind the Gap– I don’t even need a T-shirt to remind me.

Reflection Questions:

What challenges or opportunities lie in the gaps in understandings that you are experiencing right now?

Awareness of differences, or gaps, is described as a first step towards change.  What would say is the next step?