Interstitial Time

Def (n):
1. Relating to or situated in the small, narrow spaces between tissues or parts of an organ.
2. Online ad that loads between two content pages.
3. Pertaining to material (such as oil, natural gas or trace minerals) in the pore spaces of a rock.

In other words, it's the stuff between other stuff.

This morning I had to get up extremely early (in a relative sense: 4am is pretty darn early when you work second shift) to go to work during the day today. The day has felt very interstitial so far.

To me, interstitial time is defined by the anticipation of what's to come, not what is occurring at that moment. There are certain times that highlight interstitial moments. The gloaming, when the sun has set but light yet remains, is one such time. Similarly, I'm getting ready for work now but that's of no real moment; my real focus is on what will happen in the day ahead... I'm in the gap between the blackness of sleep and the rush & press of today.

Interestingly, time seems the most interstitial when I'm alone.

Walking with, talking with even just being with some one else seems to greatly reduce the sense of anticipation... The gray fabric of the between-time fades and is replaced with a world of color; that time suddenly becomes a moment of its own.