It's 1am in my part of the world and I clicked on the Substack notification because I couldn't remember whose it was. I'm so glad I did because this just came in at the right time in my life. I've been trying to find answer to that exact same question and have been looking for a mentor too. Thank you for sharing your journey so beautifully.
‘But the storm passes. And in the quiet after it, if you’ve been paying attention, you might find something you didn’t know you had.’ Beautiful. Enjoy your hard-earned bardo, J!
I read your article The Parking Slot with deep resonance. In both design and life, I’m always searching for metaphors from the natural world to make sense of the chaos, ambiguity, and complexity around me.
More than the title, the phrase “the gap” sparked a lightbulb moment. It reminded me of Scott McCloud’s explanation of the “gutter” in comic strips from his seminal book Understanding Comics. Your reference to the “in-between” in the Bardo Thodol philosophy aligns beautifully with McCloud’s idea. The gap—or gutter—invites us to imagine the flow between the end of one frame and the beginning of another. In a more philosophical sense, it reflects the idea that when one window closes, another opens.
What I’ve taken from this is the importance of engaging one’s imagination—with curiosity and an open mind—so we can notice and respond to passing, serendipitous possibilities.
This mindset has helped me navigate change in my own life—much of it chosen, some of it imposed. I often revisit my past decisions to understand why and how I embraced change. That reflection helps me stay oriented and grounded in my own resilience.
We are living through a unique moment. Not only is AI disrupting the perceived stability of career paths, but long-standing institutions are under strain, and even capitalism’s promise of a predictable future feels uncertain.
The pandemic, I believe, reminded many of us that life is not simply a sequence of neatly ordered frames. There is an end, and we each have only a limited number of frames—and gutters—with which to shape and live our story.
There is much more I could say, but I’ll pause here and hope we can find time someday for a free-flowing, open conversation.
A beautiful and a thought provoking read. The world has changed and we continuously need to carve our place. Taking a pause to reflect would not leave you behind but would enable to move forward.
It's 1am in my part of the world and I clicked on the Substack notification because I couldn't remember whose it was. I'm so glad I did because this just came in at the right time in my life. I've been trying to find answer to that exact same question and have been looking for a mentor too. Thank you for sharing your journey so beautifully.
Woah - that’s some serendipity at play! I’m so glad this found you at just the right time - may you find your path and the answers you seek…
‘But the storm passes. And in the quiet after it, if you’ve been paying attention, you might find something you didn’t know you had.’ Beautiful. Enjoy your hard-earned bardo, J!
Dear Jay,
I read your article The Parking Slot with deep resonance. In both design and life, I’m always searching for metaphors from the natural world to make sense of the chaos, ambiguity, and complexity around me.
More than the title, the phrase “the gap” sparked a lightbulb moment. It reminded me of Scott McCloud’s explanation of the “gutter” in comic strips from his seminal book Understanding Comics. Your reference to the “in-between” in the Bardo Thodol philosophy aligns beautifully with McCloud’s idea. The gap—or gutter—invites us to imagine the flow between the end of one frame and the beginning of another. In a more philosophical sense, it reflects the idea that when one window closes, another opens.
What I’ve taken from this is the importance of engaging one’s imagination—with curiosity and an open mind—so we can notice and respond to passing, serendipitous possibilities.
This mindset has helped me navigate change in my own life—much of it chosen, some of it imposed. I often revisit my past decisions to understand why and how I embraced change. That reflection helps me stay oriented and grounded in my own resilience.
We are living through a unique moment. Not only is AI disrupting the perceived stability of career paths, but long-standing institutions are under strain, and even capitalism’s promise of a predictable future feels uncertain.
The pandemic, I believe, reminded many of us that life is not simply a sequence of neatly ordered frames. There is an end, and we each have only a limited number of frames—and gutters—with which to shape and live our story.
There is much more I could say, but I’ll pause here and hope we can find time someday for a free-flowing, open conversation.
Cheers,
A beautiful and a thought provoking read. The world has changed and we continuously need to carve our place. Taking a pause to reflect would not leave you behind but would enable to move forward.