As an aficionado of Japanese culture, I admire how the Japanese are masters of space, be it physical or interpersonal. Retail and hotel staff often catch my attention by having the courage to decorate an entire wall with a non-descript, yet strategically chosen ornament. No crowding of the visuals. Just the embodiment of being, which prompts you to savour the sight.

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The treatment of space as a priority is also seen in how the Japanese handle relationships. I just finished watching all six episodes of “The Boyfriend”, and not one single kiss has been exchanged between the participants. We have instead introspective chats between the men who wonder aloud about their energy levels and vibes and whether there is a match or conflict in their personalities. Meandering chats don’t seem to make for compelling TV, but because these participants seem sincerely earnest in their struggles, I get drawn into their thinking processes and reflect on my communication style.

Deepak Chopra refers to the space between thoughts as the place where insight can make itself known. I admire how the TV producers and directors have the confidence to just let blossoming or floundering relationships unfold, without throwing too many spanners in the works. They give the cast the time and space to agonise, which is quite unusual in the world of fast-paced reality TV.

As for me, right now I’m in the exploratory stage, in which I read the upstanding books on my to-read list in a valiant attempt to declutter them. I have been typing the phrases and sentences that resonate with me studiously on my Obsidian. I hope that I will finish this task by end December so that I can focus on incorporating white space into my calendar and experimenting to find out how the wisdom I have gleaned from the authors fuse with my original thoughts and experiences. Ultimately, I hope to master communication more holistically, leveraging both silence and rapid banter adeptly because I know how to manage space.