"Open the window, let yourself in"

Playlist Song Story Series: Song "What a wonderful world ~ Louis Armstrong"

The song “What a Wonderful World lyrics by Louis Armstrong, speaks to the essence of this logo and how whimsically and joy-filled I become when listening to the song. It represents the window of hope, a new day, bringing fresh, crisp air and beautiful, warm sunshine, with birds chirping to meet you. Leaning into the practice as you meet yourself in a new day, “opening up the window, to let yourself in”. The blog name, “Hold Space Today,” is a reminder that The Practice brings: that holding space for yourself begins with how you speak to yourself, how you meet yourself in every day, every moment.

It begins with recognition. Acknowledgment. Saying to yourself:

"Hi, lovely, I see you. I'm with you."

The opening moment in Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" beautifully represents this held space… "I see trees of green, red roses too," where everything slows down. Not because the song does. Because you get to slow down too and take a moment.

That's the thing about this song. It doesn't announce itself. It doesn't demand your attention. It just... opens a window. And suddenly, you're noticing. The sky. The faces. The trees. The birds. The ordinary miracle of another morning.

“For as long as I have breath, I have options.” ~ Imani(TheHoodHealer)

That's what holding space feels like.

Its presence. [BE]ing present.

My favourite part of the song is where he's here, now, present, sharing his life experience as he takes a moment to notice the glimmers through his eyes. Trees. Babies. Friends. The colours of the rainbow.

Wonder. Imagination.

He's holding space for the world exactly as it is.

The window in the logo, the one that became the H in Hold Space Today, came from a moment when this song came on while I was in the car, it was a moment of gratitude for life as I was on my way to celebrate my 28th birthday(I think I have a video clip, I’ll share on Instagram and link it back to this post). From that image of opening the curtain and the window to let fresh, crisp air flow through the room, letting light in, letting yourself see what's already here. The warm sunshine. The birds chirping to meet you. The you that's been here all along, waiting.

I would love to hear your experience of the song. Where does your imagination take you? How do you connect with the song?

Consider this your invitation. Press play. Open the window. Let yourself in. Lovely

Looking forward to sharing this playlist song story series with you. Music is and has been such a big part of the journey of it meeting me where I’ve needed to be met. I pray the beautiful seed words, storytelling, and messaging may bless your heart and your entire being as you journey each and every day to meet your inner child, to meet JOY.

A moment for the blog's brand essence

"Open the window. Let yourself in."

These are the words that hold the whole brand.

The H in Hold Space Today is a window. Three columns of light, joined by a crossbar. So when you read "open the window," you are already looking at it. The logo and the tagline are the same image, just in two different languages. One you see. One you feel.

The window is also the origin image. The one that came in on a birthday morning, in the car, with Louis Armstrong playing. The window of hope. A new day. Fresh crisp air, warm sunshine, birds chirping to meet you. Opening the window is simply the act of allowing. Allowing the morning. Allowing the moment. Allowing yourself to be present to what is already here, already beautiful, already waiting.

And then the second line does something tender and surprising.

"Let yourself in."

You might expect it to mean, let the light in. Let the morning in. But it turns gently. It is not the world you are letting in. It is you. You, letting yourself back into your own life. Your own inner space. The parts of yourself you have been standing just outside of, walking past, not quite entering. The window is not the door to the world. It is the door back to yourself.

That is the whole practice. That is Hold Space Today.

Where it started: notes & scribbles within the creation journey of this Held Space.