"the space between"

"The space between the tears we cry 

is the laughter that keeps us coming back for more...

The space between the bullets in the firefight

is where I'll be hiding, waiting for you..."

-Dave Matthews Band, The Space Between

(Yes, apparently, I'm on a writing-about-song-lyrics kick for the second day in a row. You can read yesterday's here, if you missed it.)

"The space between the tears we cry is the laughter that keeps us coming back for more..."
This idea of the space between. Isn't it true? The spaces between the tough stuff, the hard times, the sadnesses - even though I completely believe we can find deep joy and peace even in those hard times (and sometimes, because of them) - it's the spaces between the hard things in life that keep us going, right?

Those spaces between keep us going, and keep "us coming back for more," when they are filled with joy and happiness, the light of the love of God and those around us.

They give us the fuel we need to head back out into the firefight.

But mostly, I think the space between keeps us going, and coming back for more, because harder times teach us how precious a refuge that space between really is. Life is never easy, but the spaces between the uphill and downhill slopes on the roller coaster ride - those spaces where we find some kind of peaceful equilibrium, or experience the wonderful highs of blessed relationships with family and friends - aren't those the things we miss, and the things we long for when we're on the uphill/downhill, barely hanging on, equilibrium thrown off?

The hard stuff, then... it's still hard, and that will never change. But what it teaches us makes it blessed and important, if we are willing to learn.

+Peace, and all good.