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2. Same Space can evoke different Some Spaces encourage people to struggle to get
emotions over time: into it, while others make people toil to get out of
it. We choose to study well or work well or practice
Sometimes, the same space can elicit two varying hard to get into the space of elites or success. But
emotions in different periods.
whatever the struggle is, space shapes us.
I remember this place near my house when I was ten 3. Trying to Fit in a Space
years old. A small primary school in the morning turns
into a scary place hosting ghosts in the night. At least, I was 14 then. I had made new friends a few lanes away
that is how my mind pictured the school. Just after from my neighbourhood. They invited me to join them
the school lies the water well. I avoid looking at the for a game of cricket. It was a fine evening with the sky
well, especially during the night. The rope tied to the painted with shades of orange. We were playing cricket. I
bucket, which sits on the top of the well, appears like could see 2 of my friends from my neighbourhood riding
a small ghost waiting to jump at me. This entire space their bikes towards us. The leader of this new group,
is around 100 meters. Robert, gestured, “Hey. We cannot accommodate them
in our play. Either you can ignore them and remain in the
My mom would always find out late in the night that game or leave the game now”.
she needs some spice or vegetables to cook dinner.
“Sundar, can you run to the shop at the corner of the That pushed me to a new territory. The options are to
street and get these please”. fit in or get out, and I fit in. My friends waited for a
few minutes while I ignored them and then left. As I
I would have no choice but to run fast to escape the was walking back, I felt guilty.
scary spaces. As I grew older, that scary space turned
into a space for fun. It became an ideal space for a That space made me a different person. That was not
secret meeting. Sometimes we grow into a particular me. So, I avoided that space ever again.
space. Other times, we grow out of it. Trying to fit into that space helped me learn which

A successful marriage is a space where many people space to avoid.
celebrate and grow into each other. A workplace There are spaces in people’s lives that need to be
loaded with creativity and empowerment encourages respected. It is called “Personal Space”. This space
people to grow into it. is exclusive to every individual. Even if that person is

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