11: Use Edges and Value the Marginal

Use Edges and Value the Marginal

“The interface between things is where the most interesting events take place. These are often the most valuable, diverse and productive elements in the system.”

🏔️ About the Principle

This principle focuses on the intersections and boundaries in our lives—those places where different systems, ideas, or experiences meet. In a garden, edges are the spaces where a path meets a planting bed, where sunlight meets shade, or where one plant grows beside another. These areas are often the most diverse and fertile because they blend elements from both sides. In biology, edge ecosystems—like the borders of forests and grasslands or where rivers meet the sea—are some of the most productive and biodiverse places on Earth.

In our personal lives, the “edges” can be times of transition or spaces where routines or boundaries shift. For instance, the commute between home and work can be a time of reflection or creativity. Similarly, stepping outside your comfort zone or engaging with people or ideas different from your own can be an opportunity for growth and innovation.

This principle also invites us to think about marginalization in society—of people, places, or experiences. Who or what gets overlooked? Are there voices in our community that go unheard? Are there parts of ourselves that we push to the margins? By valuing these “margins,” we can unlock creativity, insight, and new ways of thinking.

🌱 Valuing the Marginal in Your Life

  • What are the edges in my life that feel most sidelined or neglected?

  • Are there times in my daily life that I could bring more attention to and value more fully?

  • What parts of my identity have I put aside because they are not valued?

  • What the things at the edges of your comfort zone?

🌐 Valuing the Marginal in Your Community

  • Are we paying attention to the “edges” of our community, such as marginalized groups or underutilized spaces? Who is not being heard? How can we better support people and places that exist on the periphery?
  • Where are the spaces in your community where there are intersections of different groups or environments? Perhaps spaces like farmer’s markets, cultural festivals or nature reserves.
  • What opportunities might arise from blending different groups, ideas, or resources?

🌿 Examples in the Natural World

  • Estuaries - The place where the river meets the sea is one of the most biodiverse spaces that has rich nutrients, and habitats for fish, birds and plants.

  • Tide Pools - Where the ocean meets the land, small pools called tidepools may form and create small ecosystems with rich live and adaptation to changing water levels.

  • Urban Green Spaces - Parks, gardens and overgrown lots in urban spaces can become areas for wildlife and people.

🌀Integrating this Principle

  • Pay attention to your transitional times, perhaps this is when you commute, or during your shower or when waiting for a prescription or a school pickup. These in between times can be marginal spaces when we might consider using our creativity, bringing mindfulness or reflection into our every day life.

  • Where are the physical and metaphorical edges in your life? Are there areas of your home or work life that you ignore or undervalue? What might let you bring more attention or care to those areas?

  • Integrate marginalized parts of yourself into your life. Reflect on what you’ve pushed aside or ignored, how might you embrace that part of yourself and welcome it back into the center of your life?

📖 Resources for Further Exploration

Written by Beth M. Duckles. Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Contact me.