177 Making Space
Body rearranged some remaining furniture in the new flat till she could ‘see’ where it looked best.
“Just measure the sofa before you move it and see if there is enough room.”
“I have” Body argued although in reality she had only paced the length of the sofa, she felt sure it would fit. “I don’t have to lift it I can drag it across the tiles on the rug like we did before at the old house.”
“It’s your Body, it’s your energy” Brain announced, “there are only three other places it can go anyway.”
“Quite” Body stated as she thought about lifting the sofa a corner at a time onto the ‘magic carpet’, but I like to see how it looks rather than try to imagine the sofa in a certain spot.”
“A waste of energy” Brain stated “you can ‘picture’ it rather than drag it from pillar to post, but like I said it’s your energy.”
“I can help” the Little Red Haired girl stated.
“Hardly” cried Heart “the sofa is far too heavy for you child.”
“Yes I know, but I can put the carpet under each leg when Body lifts it.”
“Ok. Deal” Body agreed and also helped to push the carpet with her foot.
“Over here, next to the fireplace.” Body pushed.
“It’s not going to fit” Brain added “you should have measured it properly with a steel measure.”
“No need, it will fit” as Body compensated the position of the sofa to allow the legs to go past the width of the skirting board.
Body stood back and looked at the sofa in it’s new position.
“Let’s sit on it and see how it feels” the child suggested as they walked across the room to sit on it and ‘try it out’.
“It doesn’t feel happy here” the child stated as she looked over the arm of the sofa at the fireplace.
“You’re right” Body agreed.
“Ridiculous” stated Brain “does it look right or not?”
“It’s not just about how it looks Brain. It has to feel right too and the child is right it’s not in a happy place.”
So they set to work to move it across to the centre of the room. To look at, the sofa wasn’t right as it almost cut the room in half and Body would have had to walk around the back of it after entering the room to get to sit down.
“Let’s try it” the child bounced onto the new sofa cushion. “It’s better than it was” she announced “but I cannot see who would come into the room?”
“You don’t need to. We live on our own” Brain stated the obvious.
“She’s right. It doesn’t feel good to have our back to the door for whatever reason.”
“That leaves one choice left then” Brain again stated the obvious.
“We know” Body answered as the final pushing of the sofa took place. It was a fait accompli she knew as there were no other choices to be had, other than back in it’s original place under the window which was cold and draughty.
Once the sofa was put along this wall it looked right and as the child sat on it she announced it was the right place. “It feels happy here, and I feel happy sitting on it.”
“Then that’s all that matters” Brain was sarcastic. “Now we have to move the lamps, find some extension cables, move the TV and the rug, not to mention the dining table and chairs. We have created ourselves more work.”
“Does it matter?” called Spirit, as Body worked most of the day re arranging the furniture to her liking, and finding extension cables from storage box’s in the basement. By late afternoon, she made herself a cup of tea and sat on the sofa with it to survey her work and was pleased with the results. A good sense of achievement.
“It’s a lot better” the child was pleased too. “It feels settled and there is a lot more space in the room to move around in.”
“It is exactly the same space. The room is no bigger. It is exactly the same size” stated Brain.
“No there is more space” the child argued “look, we can see the whole of the rug, all of it’s pattern, and nothing is standing on it neither.”
“Either” corrected Brain. “The rug is exactly the same size too. No bigger or smaller. It’s the same as it ever was.”
“But it’s not the same, it’s better” the child stood her ground. “There is more space.”
“You’re not going to win Brain so you might as well quit” called Spirit.
“Would you?” questioned Brain.
“Once, but never again” called Spirit “but I’ve been close to quitting. Instead, we just have to make space for all the new things to come. New days we cannot predict, and now we have made space, we have room to grow. Each day is a new start. No more old memories to hold us back.”
“No more heartache” cried Heart “scars yes, but we are healing now.”
“New placement of the furniture actually makes each piece seem newer because we are seeing them from different angles. I am pleased with our day’s work. I appreciate each piece now.”
“It looks much better” the child agreed “there is much more space.”
Brain raised Body’s eyes to the heavens and Spirit laughed.
“I am glad you find it so amusing Spirit” Brain admitted with a wry smile on Body’s face. “I’m glad we found her.”
“Who?” Body asked.
“The Little Red Haired Girl, I am glad we found her in the Pumphouse” Brain admitted.
“We never lost her” sighed Soul “she was just buried inside for so long throughout our journey, but I’m glad Brain that you are beginning to appreciate her because I do believe she was our saviour.”
“Certainly mine” laughed Spirit. “It’s good to have her back even if she is a little ‘spirited’.”
“I am here you know” the child retorted on cue.
“Oh we know that child” laughed Body.
“Then now there is more space on the rug,..” she paused wickedly waiting for Brains denial of what she had just said and when nothing came continued “I’m going to get some cushions on the floor and watch some TV.”
“Glad we bought the sofa to sit on then” Brain counted the cost of the item as the sofa itself sat there devoid of cushions and now looking like a spare part in a dentists waiting room. “It’s just my opinion” Brain offered.
“And not needed” the child responded “it’s not a fact.”
“Oooh” called Spirit “steady on now. Everyone is entitled to have an opinion.”
“We don’t have to listen to it though?” the child answered questioning.
“I guess it depends on whether it’s the opinion of someone you care about child, or people one cares about” cried Heart. “Don’t let our past make us bitter child, stay as loving as you can be and I think maybe you need to apologise to Brain.”
The child sat on the magic carpet deep in thought for the duration of two breaths and a hiccup.
“I’m sorry Brain. It is not often you offer an opinion. It’s usually facts. I didn’t mean to upset you” the child offered as she sat on Body’s lap for a hug.
“We all need to be kinder to ourselves” sighed Soul “otherwise how else can we be kind to others without losing ourselves in the process.”
“I’m not upset…” Brain began proudly.
“Shut up Brain” they all said.
© 2025 Jennifer Harris. Free And Alive 555
