Remember the joy of blowing bubbles as a kid (or maybe even as an adult with your kids? It seems simple: Dip the bubble wand in the soapy water solution, blow air into it, and watch the rainbow-colored bubbles float away. Yet bubbles are an excellent metaphor for how we show up in life.
Flexibility is the key to life.
Soap molecules are fantastically flexible, and water molecules are extremely elastic. No matter how you stretch a bubble, it will always return to a perfect sphere - the strongest geometric shape. Likewise, life sometimes stretches us out of shape, but we can also return to our strongest sense of self. It's called resilience.
Even diamonds require intense pressure to form solidly.
Unbeknownst to many, bubbles cannot be blown everywhere. Specifically, bubbles cannot be blown in space because there is no outside air pressure. For a bubble to form, the air trapped inside must build to match the outside pressure. Without the outside pressure, surface tension cannot be produced because it has nothing against which to resist. To grow in life, we must face external pressures as well. We are challenged to rise [internally] to meet the external pressures – showing our strength and fortitude.
Transparency and vulnerability allow our truth to be seen from all angles.
Bubbles are transparent; the colors often seem to change as they float around. Multiple colors of light waves bounce around, reflecting off the bubble's inner and outer surface and overlapping, creating different color combinations. These are called interference colors, including all the colors of the rainbow. The color combination we see depends on multiple factors: the angle of the light, the angle of the bubble, and the thickness of the bubble's "skin." Through our vulnerability, we allow others to see our many facets depending on the angle from which they are looking. Through our experiences, we reflect different color combinations depending on the situation, our sense of self, and our courage in showing our authentic selves.
Bubbles are transparent; the colors often seem to change as they float around. Multiple colors of light waves bounce around, reflecting off the bubble's inner and outer surface and overlapping, creating different color combinations. These are called interference colors, including all the colors of the rainbow. The color combination we see depends on multiple factors: the angle of the light, the angle of the bubble, and the thickness of the bubble's "skin." Through our vulnerability, we allow others to see our many facets depending on the angle from which they are looking. Through our experiences, we reflect different color combinations depending on the situation, our sense of self, and our courage in showing our authentic selves.
Don't let your tank run dry.
Bubbles pop for two reasons: (1) a sharp or dry object touches the surface, or (2) the water layer evaporates, leaving the outer layer too thin to maintain the surface tension. There are two caveats to this, however: (1) if the surface is touched by a wet, instead of a dry, finger, it will not pop, and (2) in cold weather, the water layer evaporates slower, allowing bubbles to last longer (and float higher because the warmth of your breath is lighter than the cold air outside). We cannot control being "touched" by sharp-tongued, or abrasive, people any more than we can control the weather. However, we can control how we handle those energy vampires and how we weather the cold. We may have to push harder through the sting of life's bone-chilling cold fronts. Yet, we must ensure that all the water in our tank does not evaporate. Filling your tank is your responsibility; it is not selfish but necessary.
Bubbles pop for two reasons: (1) a sharp or dry object touches the surface, or (2) the water layer evaporates, leaving the outer layer too thin to maintain the surface tension. There are two caveats to this, however: (1) if the surface is touched by a wet, instead of a dry, finger, it will not pop, and (2) in cold weather, the water layer evaporates slower, allowing bubbles to last longer (and float higher because the warmth of your breath is lighter than the cold air outside). We cannot control being "touched" by sharp-tongued, or abrasive, people any more than we can control the weather. However, we can control how we handle those energy vampires and how we weather the cold. We may have to push harder through the sting of life's bone-chilling cold fronts. Yet, we must ensure that all the water in our tank does not evaporate. Filling your tank is your responsibility; it is not selfish but necessary.
Kindness goes a long way and travels in a reciprocal ellipse.
If you add sugar to a soap and water solution, you can blow unpoppable bubbles. The sugar fortifies the bubble's wall, strengthening the bond holding the soap and water together. It also slows the water evaporation process so the bubble will last longer without popping. In addition, if you blow multiple bubbles close together, they will cling to each other, so they share a common wall, multiplying their strength. Additionally, different shapes, such as hexagons and cubes, can be made when multiple bubbles are connected. So, being kind to others, accepting kindness from others, and building a support community can "add some sugar to your solution," help you to be stronger than if you were alone, and support you as you morph into the person you want to be.
If you add sugar to a soap and water solution, you can blow unpoppable bubbles. The sugar fortifies the bubble's wall, strengthening the bond holding the soap and water together. It also slows the water evaporation process so the bubble will last longer without popping. In addition, if you blow multiple bubbles close together, they will cling to each other, so they share a common wall, multiplying their strength. Additionally, different shapes, such as hexagons and cubes, can be made when multiple bubbles are connected. So, being kind to others, accepting kindness from others, and building a support community can "add some sugar to your solution," help you to be stronger than if you were alone, and support you as you morph into the person you want to be.
Remember to look at both sides of every coin.
I came across a few quotes about the correlation between bubbles and life; all were negative. They all focused on bubbles' fragility, not knowing how long they would last and that, ultimately, they would pop. Why would you waste time blowing bubbles if that's all you had to look forward to? Truthfully, bubbles can be just as powerful as they are fragile (e.g. under the sea they can wreak havoc on ships & in the bloodstream they can cause fatal emergencies).
I came across a few quotes about the correlation between bubbles and life; all were negative. They all focused on bubbles' fragility, not knowing how long they would last and that, ultimately, they would pop. Why would you waste time blowing bubbles if that's all you had to look forward to? Truthfully, bubbles can be just as powerful as they are fragile (e.g. under the sea they can wreak havoc on ships & in the bloodstream they can cause fatal emergencies).
When I think of blowing bubbles, I think about how amazed I was as a little girl at how beautiful and magical they seemed, my daughter's smiling face and wondrous eyes when I first blew bubbles for her, and her infectious laughter as she chased them and tried to catch them. As with any situation in life, you have a choice. You can allow the negativity of a situation to consume you, burst your bubble, and suck you into a dark vortex. Or you can find the grace, lesson, joy, or whatever positivity you can identify and allow it to help you float higher and higher. Here's a prime example:
My Daddy lost his battle with cancer on 11/3/24, and his baby brother, my Uncle John, lost his battle with cancer on 12/26/24. Losing my Daddy was a soul-crushing pain. Rather than focusing on the sadnessof losing my Uncle John so soon after my Daddy, I've been more focused on the compassion I feel for my two uncles, who've lost their two baby brothers in less than two months and my stepmom and Aunt Darla who've lost their best friend and life partner after decades of daily interaction. I thought I would be drowning in grief, but I am not. I love and miss them both. Yet, every time I see my Daddy's picture pop up on my phone, I smile, say, "Hey, Daddy," and remember the wonderful things he taught me and how he contributed to who I am today. When I think of my Uncle John and his tremendous faith, I imagine the two of them in Heaven together, happy and healthy, having a great time watching over all of us. Knowing the love we shared, and how much they both poured into me, makes me feel like I could float to the highest height without my bubble ever bursting!
I encourage you to buy and play with a bottle of bubbles throughout 2025. This will remind you to pay attention each day and make the necessary choices so that your bubbles will float high and last long!
