Be generous in giving space. It’s a treasured gift.

What do you think of when you hear the word “space”? Did you naturally think of outer space? When you consider the sky, both at night and during the day, a vastness of space abounds. Perhaps at times you’ve imagined what it would be like to be an astronaut, to be able to view the earth from that space.

But what about everyday space? The space around and between us makes people and things distinct. Think of trees, for example. If you look at a tree from your window, you see that what ultimately sets it apart from what is around it is space. In other words, the emptiness around it defines its uniqueness in relation to other beings.

With humans, though we all look different, space helps create individual forms. In the visual field, without space, everything would essentially be one large, indistinguishable mass.

In speech, the space between words is a foundational factor in allowing language to make sense. If there is little space between words, as in rapid speech, an intense or staccato effect is produced. If the space between words is elongated, a less forceful or slowed effect is made.

Space in writing also is fundamental to understanding content. If, in this column, what you are reading was without space between words, the ideas would be incomprehensible. Space matters greatly, doesn’t it?

How important is space in relationships? We would suggest that it is vital to success with one another. Even in very loving relationships, without space, there is an unhealthy fusion or enmeshment.

As the saying goes, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” Have you ever asked someone to give you some space? Or has someone asked that of you? It may be physical or mental.

Lebanese American poet Kahlil Gibran put it beautifully about relationships in saying, “Let there be spaces in your togetherness, and let the winds of heaven dance between you.”