On a recent walk I came across an intricate, wrought iron gate. Curiosity piqued, I couldn’t help but wonder why there’s a gate with no fence.

Whatever the property owner is hoping to secure seems lost on the fact that anyone can simply walk around it. To my way of thinking, a gate without a fence isn’t an effective boundary.

When it comes to people, there are many types of boundaries: personal, professional, relational, social, ethical, etc. Boundaries are internal and external personal lines that we draw. They delineate where our — physical, mental, emotional, spiritual — space ends, and where another’s may begin. They help us:

• Stand up for ourselves
• Keep us from doing things we shouldn’t
• Protect and take care of ourselves

However, there are times when the absence of boundaries is commendable. Here are a few examples: Art without Borders, Doctors Without Borders, and Teachers Without Borders.

Do you have any boundaries that need shoring up?

© Laurie Buchanan

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