At The Edge

There’s a space just beyond comfort, order, and predictability

There’s a space just beyond comfort, order, and predictability.  Some refer to this as a liminal space or a threshold.  I think of it as the edge of chaos, which is a scientific term, of sorts.  

The edge of chaos is not comfortable, orderly, or predictable.  When you’re in this space, you are vulnerable - and things can get messy - and you’ll often encounter the unexpected. Yet, this is a space where beautiful things happen. It’s a place of learning, of growth, of transformation - a place of creativity and innovation. 

Some say the need to seek the edge of chaos is a natural part of us - it’s how we are built. It’s where we thrive.  In the book  Eternal Echoes, John O’Donohue wrote about this seeking in terms of belonging and longing. Belonging is a place of comfort.  O’Dononue said, “The shelter of belonging empowers you; it confirms in you a stillness and sureness of heart...you are sure of the ground on which you stand.”  But, longing is a place of vulnerability. O’Donohue said,  “Your longing desires to take you towards the absolute realization of all the possibilities that sleep in the clay of your heart; it knows your eternal potential, and it will not rest until it is awakened.” 

To follow our longing to the edge of chaos, we must prepare ourselves to inhabit the space.  We must learn to summon courage, find resilience, calm anxiety, face fear, and walk into the unknown.  

The 2019 documentary, Maiden, illustrates these very things.  The film tells the story of Tracy Edwards and the first all-female crew to complete the Whitbread Round the World Race - an extreme voyage at the edge of chaos. 

The Whitbread Round the World Race is an elite sailing competition which pits ships and crews against the sea, and each other, as they race around the globe.  Starting in September of 1989 and sailing the 58 foot yacht,  Maiden,  Tracy and the group of women completed the event in 167 days. They were at sea for over five months!  But the story isn’t just about the race. The story is about overcoming challenges and fears and sailing into the unknown. It’s about courage and resilience.  And the story is about learning, growth, transformation, creativity, and innovation. 

If you haven’t seen the film, I recommend it.  I won’t ruin it with a blow-by-blow, but I will share the essence.  Young and determined Tracy Edwards set her sights on participating in the prestigious competition in a sport dominated by men.  To compete she battled deep bias, where those in power believed “girls” didn’t belong - it wasn’t their place - they weren’t skilled enough - they weren’t built for it. Ignoring the ridicule and the belittling, she overcame obstacle after obstacle and found her ship and crew.  And then, after battling resistance from a world that fought to exclude them, she and the other women faced and conquered the same rigorous challenges the men faced - the unpredictable forces of mother nature in a 33,000 mile quest to circumnavigate the world. 

The plot of Maiden is about the drama of adventure and challenge, but the deeper story is about those beautiful things you find at the edge. It’s about following your heart wherever it leads.  It’s about believing in yourself, even if others don’t - and holding close those who do. It’s about discovering that you are capable of much more than you ever thought possible. It’s about becoming the best version of you.

Recommended Resources

Eternal Echoes: Celtic Reflections on Our Yearning to Belong  by John O’Donohue

Maiden   Documentary film directed by Alex Holmes

This is a space where beautiful things happen.