Keep Room for the Unimaginable

“Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable.” – Mary Oliver

There comes a moment—sometimes quiet, sometimes crashing—when we recognize that waiting is no longer serving us.

Maybe you’ve been holding off until you had the perfect plan, the right amount of energy, a clearer vision, or fewer fears. Maybe you’ve told yourself that once the kids launch, once your body feels better, once the finances stabilize, then you’ll begin.

But here’s the gentle truth: you don’t have to be flawless or fearless to start.

Beginning doesn’t require all the answers. It doesn’t demand a crystal-clear roadmap. What it asks of you is willingness. A leaning in. A deep breath and a step forward from exactly where you are.

Wherever you stand today—in the middle of transition, in the aftermath of loss, in the glow of possibility—you already have enough to begin. Not despite what you’ve been through, but because of it.

Listening to Your Inner Maiden

In her midlife passage, many a woman finds herself longing for more: more adventure, more sensuality, more creative expression. These desires—whether for travel adventure, playful exploration, or artistic inspiration—are fueled by her Inner Maiden.

The Maiden thrives on curiosity, spontaneity, and the joy of trying something new just for the thrill of it.

She urges us to throw perfectionism and excessive caution out the window and simply do the thing—because it’s beckoning. She’s our permission slip to relish the unproductive, the inefficient, the messy.

She reminds us that delight doesn’t need justification.

Feminine spirituality often compares the threshold into a woman’s midlife—the “second adolescence”—with her earlier passage through puberty.

One of the glorious truths about this second passage is that this time, we carry the wisdom, resources, and perspective to embrace a variety of new beginnings with a greater sense of satisfaction and freedom.

What a gift!

So, what fun thing is whispering your name? What forgotten joy is your adolescent self nudging you to reclaim?

When your sensible self says, “Oh, but I couldn’t,” your Inner Maiden laughs and whispers back, “Why not? What’s stopping you? If not now, when?”

Beginning From Here

Life isn’t linear. Healing isn’t tidy. Growth rarely follows a script. The beginnings that matter most often come from the middle of our messy, real, imperfect lives.

As C.S. Lewis penned: “You can’t go back and make a new start, but you can start now and make a brand new beginning.”

So pause and look around: this is where you begin. With what you know now. With what you carry. With who you are becoming.

It doesn’t have to be dramatic or grand. A beginning can be as small as writing down one honest desire, reaching out to someone who matters, or choosing a daily rhythm that honors your body. It can also be playful and just-for-fun—taking a dance class, sketching with crayons, booking a day trip, or trying something entirely new, simply because it sparks delight.

The magic lies not in starting over, but in beginning again, right here, right now—with room in your heart for the unimaginable.

A Gentle Invitation

This week, release the myth of readiness. Choose one small shift that feels true for you—a step, a yes, a reorientation toward the life you long for.

And while you’re at it, let your Inner Maiden tug at your sleeve. Say yes to the thing that feels playful, creative, or a little wild. Trust her curiosity and courage to lead you toward delight.

Because here’s the truth: you don’t have to be at the beginning of the story to start a brand new chapter. You only need the willingness to begin again—messy, real, alive.

And when you do, you just might discover that what once felt impossible has quietly become possible.

So keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable. It’s waiting for you.