For SixContest #137, we asked you to consider the concept of space. We received an incredible variety of memoirs about personal and physical space, self-reflection, and realization. Sometimes space can be a form of self-care (“Space is my refuge from you” — S.Snakeskin ), other times the concept of space is haunting (“Each death makes space for grief” — AddictionDoc). Space can protect us (“Margin of error is six feet” — VJWild), or break our hearts (“Altair and Vega. Reaching, reaching, reaching…” — MaxWrites ). And at times space is … just a space (“One space after a period, friends” — NotALineButACircle).

Here are our top six picks!

6. “I paint the negative space first.” — Bevvie

5. “Claiming to need space; needing closure.” — Theunspokenword-ofisabella

4. “All’s fair. Love. War. Closet space.” — AnnaMac 

3. “Please come closer; too much space” — Virginia

2. “Space is room for extra love.” — CanadaGoose

And the winner of Space in Six is…

1. “Finding space every now and zen.” — tagishcharley

Congratulations tagishcharley! We hope they have space on their shelf for the Six-Word Memoir book of their choice.