The Gap, January 16th

Usually a gap is associated with something missing. Synonyms for this word include hole, breach, crack, interruption, hiatus, interval, variance, mismatch, chasm, or space… among others. These examples usually require specific attention in order to be fixed. Potholes in the road for instance beg for repaving. A breach of security might require a changed password. An interruption of your crappy cable service might require a system reboot, or in an extreme case, changing your provider altogether if the problem isn’t fixed. (I’m talking to you, Spectrum!)

A gap can also be cause for a warning. If you’ve ever ridden The Tube in London, you’re familiar with the formal station announcements that periodically remind you to “mind the gap” before you board the train.

Other than Michael Strahan and Lauren Hutton, both famous for the noticeable gap between their two front teeth, most parents opt their kids into braces to fix that gap, as dentists and orthodontists warn that doing nothing might make the gap worse.

I’m old enough to remember the commercials for the vertically integrated clothing store, the GAP. Remember back in the 70s when their theme was, “Fall into the GAP?” It was an ear worm at the time. Sort of annoying but sticky marketing! Those folks took a word that usually has a negative connotation and turned it into a positive, since falling into A gap doesn’t sound appealing at all but falling into THE GAP was sure to offer an amazing retail experience with clothes you just couldn’t live without. To this day I still hum that little jingle when I fall into the GAP for reliable clothing basics.

I too turned a negative gap into a positive. I’m talking about my gap in employment. It was early 2020 and I was laid off the Thursday before the official lockdown. I wasn’t surprised really. I didn’t love my boss (I’m being super generous here) and it wasn’t a big stretch to assume that software sales would have been nil with all workers vacating offices and big decisions for the incomplete software I was selling tabled until further notice. So I found myself with a gap in my employment.

Instead of looking for a new job, I leaned into the imparity. I decided to pursue my passion for writing and achieve my life goal of completing a novel. And as you know, I published JEN’S LITTLE BLACK BOOK: Bacon Wrapped Dates on July 8, 2021, with most of the writing, editing, and polishing done during my gap year. (Pick up your copy on Amazon today!)

So when I was interviewing for a job in 2021, one of the senior managers carefully scrutinized my CV and asked me for clarification about the obvious gap on my resume. Instead of fearing this question, I welcomed it. I was thrilled to tell him that I had just authored my first book. The fact that I decided not to pursue employment opportunities and instead focus deliberately on a personal goal I might not have been able to accomplish were it not for the forced corporate hiatus must have impressed him. I guess that was a good answer ‘cause I got the job. (Yay, me.)

So the next time you accidentally drop something between the front seat of your car and the console cup holder, hop right online and buy that newfangled gap filler that forever prevents that from happening again. But remember, not all gaps are negative—like a gap in my schedule allowed me to write this post!