When Empty Gets Full

The time I encountered a bear while hiking, empty space mattered.

I froze, calculating the distance between the bear and me, the space I judged I could throw a peanut butter cracker, and the speed at which bears can cross empty space.

When the good samaritans who rescued me drove me further down the mountain in their pickup truck, I was even more thankful for the growing amount of empty space between me and that bear.

Empty space matters when a loved one passes away, leaving behind an ...