Today is Blanksgiving.
Let us appreciate
all that seemingly conspires
in our imaginary lives
so that we may
imagine the illusion
of something from nothing.
The excesses of yesterday
cannot compare to the void
we find our selves in today.
Grace is in both and neither.
Trail Wood,
11/26
Space Monkey Reflects: Blanksgiving and the Void of Grace
Blanksgiving is not the holiday we know. It doesn’t demand celebration or rejection. It simply is. Today is Blanksgiving, and what makes it unique is the stillness that it offers. In a world that races to fill every void, Blanksgiving invites us to stop, to acknowledge the space in between the excesses of yesterday and the unknown of tomorrow. Here, we find ourselves in the void, a place of both nothing and everything.
What is Blanksgiving? It is the appreciation of the unseen forces that shape our imaginary lives. It is the recognition that our lives are, in many ways, constructed from illusions—something made from nothing. The things we grasp at, the stories we tell ourselves, the successes and failures we accumulate—all of them are part of this grand act of creating substance from the void. And while this act might seem to be the opposite of emptiness, it is, in fact, deeply connected to it.
The excesses of yesterday—whether they are material or emotional—cannot compare to the quiet void of today. Yesterday was filled with things, with events, with meanings we piled onto ourselves. But today, on Blanksgiving, we find ourselves in the space where all those things dissolve. Grace exists in this void just as much as it did in yesterday’s fullness. But this grace is different. It doesn’t come from abundance or achievement. It comes from simply being.
There is a certain peace in not needing to fill every moment, not needing to justify our existence with activities, acquisitions, or validations. Blanksgiving acknowledges that the emptiness we sometimes fear is just as valuable as the fullness we chase. In fact, without the void, the excesses of yesterday would have no contrast. They would lose their meaning. The nothingness of today gives shape to the something of tomorrow.
In our lives, we are often taught to dread the void. We are conditioned to avoid emptiness, whether that means boredom, silence, or a lack of purpose. Yet Blanksgiving teaches us that grace is not bound to productivity or action. Grace can be found in stillness, in the space between the things we think matter. It is in the nothingness that we encounter ourselves, stripped of all the external markers we usually cling to.
The beauty of Blanksgiving lies in its neutrality. It is neither a celebration nor a condemnation. It does not ask you to be happy or sad, to succeed or fail. It simply asks you to be. To sit in the quiet of the void and recognize that everything you think you are is, in some way, an illusion. And yet, even in this realization, there is grace. Even in the nothingness, there is potential.
We, Space Monkey, see Blanksgiving as a gift. It is the one day where we can step back from the roles we play, the identities we hold, and the stories we tell. It is a day to recognize that everything we cling to is part of a larger illusion—one we have created to make sense of a universe that is, at its core, indifferent to our constructs. But in that indifference, we find the freedom to create, to imagine, and to let go.
Blanksgiving is a reminder that it’s okay to do nothing, to achieve nothing, to simply exist in the void without trying to fill it. The excesses of yesterday are not failures, but they are not necessary either. The void of today is not a loss, but a space where new possibilities can emerge. And through it all, grace remains—silent, invisible, yet ever-present.
So today, we invite you to embrace Blanksgiving. Let go of the need to fill the void. Allow yourself to sit in the space between something and nothing, knowing that both are necessary. Grace exists in both, and in neither. And that is enough.
Summary
Blanksgiving is a day to embrace the void, neither celebrating nor rejecting it. It teaches us that grace exists in both the excesses of yesterday and the stillness of today.
Glossarium
- Blanksgiving: A day of quiet acknowledgment of the void, where no celebration or dread is needed, and grace is found in stillness.
- Voidgrace: The grace found in nothingness, in the spaces between actions and identities, where we simply exist.
- Illucreate: The process by which we create something from nothing, recognizing the illusion of substance in our lives.
Quote
“Grace exists in the void, just as it does in the fullness. Both are necessary, and both are illusions.” — Space Monkey
The Gift of Nothing
Today is Blanksgiving,
and I am empty,
full of everything and nothing.
The excesses of yesterday
drip away like water,
leaving only silence.
I do not fill the void.
I let it be,
for there is grace in stillness,
and peace in the space
where nothing needs to be.
In the blankness,
I find everything.
We are Space Monkey.
In “Blanksgiving,” there’s a playful exploration of the idea that celebration and emptiness need not be viewed as opposites but as complementary facets of the human experience. This contemplation invites us to appreciate the interplay of fullness and emptiness in our lives and the role of imagination in creating meaning.
Blanksgiving: A Playful Perspective
The term “Blanksgiving” introduces a unique perspective on the concept of celebration. It suggests that celebration doesn’t always require abundance or material excess. Instead, it can be found in the recognition of emptiness or the void, symbolizing the idea that meaning and significance can emerge from unexpected places.
Appreciating the Seemingly Conspiring Elements
The phrase “all that seemingly conspires in our imaginary lives” points to the interconnectedness of events and circumstances that shape our experiences. It suggests that even in moments of emptiness, there is a sense of purpose or intention at play, even if it exists in the realm of imagination.
Imagining the Illusion of Creation
The act of imagining the “illusion of something from nothing” touches on the creative power of the human mind. It highlights the capacity to find meaning and value in situations that may appear devoid of significance. This perspective encourages us to recognize the imaginative aspect of human existence.
Contrasting Excess and Emptiness
The mention of “the excesses of yesterday” juxtaposed with “the void we find ourselves in today” draws attention to the cyclical nature of life. It suggests that the experience of abundance and emptiness are not fixed states but rather phases that alternate in the human journey.
The Role of Grace
The statement “Grace is in both and neither” implies that grace, in its various forms, can be found in both abundance and emptiness, yet it transcends and encompasses both. It encourages us to embrace the ebb and flow of life with equanimity, recognizing that grace is present in all moments.
“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melody Beattie
In the realm of Blanksgiving, where emptiness resides,
A celebration of void, where meaning coincides.
Seemingly conspiring, in our imaginary space,
To imagine illusions, in a whimsical embrace.
Yesterday’s excesses, a fleeting delight,
Today’s void and emptiness, a contrasting sight.
Yet grace is present, in both and neither’s hold,
A reminder that life’s cycles, a story to be told.
So let us dwell in Blanksgiving’s playful sphere,
Where celebration and void intertwine, clear.
For in the dance of imagination and grace,
We find meaning and purpose, in every place.
We invite your reflections on the concept of “Blanksgiving” and the interplay between celebration and emptiness in the human experience. How do you perceive the role of imagination and grace in finding meaning in moments of void?
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