In the Margins …

When I started school (again) last fall, I was embarrassed by my PC. Apple dominated – and continues to dominate – my classrooms. Classmates rockin’ tiny little keyboards left me feeling like I was ancient. And then there was the subject of books. So many had abandoned the idea of hard-copies and opted for e-books. While I’d considered how much more convenient it would be to carry around something weighing 1-2 lbs vs. 5-6, this is where I had to draw the line!

I love books – actual books! I love to smell them, turn the pages and admire them neatly – or not so neatly – stacked on my bookshelf or any random table. But more importantly, I like to write in my books. All of them! I highlight, underline, write commentary, ask questions – all in my books. For me, this is what creates a reading experience – all the stuff in between the white space … in the margins. We have a book with so much information contained in predetermined spaces. Loads of information compiled just for my consumption. Valuable information. But I’d venture to say that the scribbles I have in the margins are just as important – if not more.

Most recently, I have found myself writing random things in the margins of my notebooks. So picture my class notes neatly arranged with bullets and the like and then pile and piles of scribbles in the margins. Words, phrases, incomplete thoughts, questions. As I witnessed this becoming more and more of a trend, I found myself thinking about what happens in the margins.

There are the main things: school, work, family. The things that are neatly arranged. Even expected or anticipated. Some planned, some unplanned, but very much a part of what many tend to think everyone is or should be doing. But what is happening in the margins? What is happening on the side or in between? What dreams have you created? Destinies fulfilled? Paths challenged? What have you written? Scripted and re-scripted? Questioned or pondered?

I am willing to bet that the things you have written in the margins are more interesting and fulfilling than what you find in the main script. But let’s make sure that you have actually written there … you know, in your own handwriting.