In this short series on the potential impact of space, I’ve quoted poet Kay Ryan in every post. So there’s no need to stop now.
She wrote, “It takes a courageous person to leave spaces empty.”
I was reminded of that line while helping my friend Karl Berger write The Music Mind Experience. Karl was a big fan of leaving space when we improvised solos. The empty space wasn’t really empty—it created a healthy tension. Often, the music becomes more powerful when it’s surrounded by silence.
Think of the opening of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. Just four notes. Then silence.
We can learn from Kay Ryan and Karl. It’s not about empty, wasted space. It’s about allowing silence to give others room to take in what we’re saying—and to respond.
And Ryan is right. It does take courage.
The great jazz improviser Dizzy Gillespie once said, “I spent my whole life learning what not to play.”
Where have you found that leaving space made a difference? Join our conversation over on LinkedIn.
About the Author, Rick Maurer
