That's silliness! A bubble doesn't get a wage! It doesn't have a future! But maybe that's not what I meant when I told my mom I wanted to be a bubble. I didn't want that to be my profession. I didn't dream of floating to bubble work everyday. When I imagined being a bubble it was a metaphor. I wanted to travel through life gracefully. I wanted to roll with the punches like I was riding the wind. I wanted to be reflective of the good in the world, bending it into oily rainbows. I wanted to be clear enough to see straight to my heart. I wanted to be rounded, not jagged and conformed, and I wanted to rise above my past. I wanted to be a bubble. And I still do. My mom challenged me with this question: What happens when you pop? I told her, "Mommy, bubbles never pop. I've never seen them pop once." And it was true. I covered my eyes before they disappeared, or watched them rise so high they couldn't be seen anymore, because to me bubbles were infinite.
Confidence in what? What could a kid missing her front tooth who has yet to grow into a beautiful woman or discover her talents be confident about? She hasn't made her mark on the world yet? There's little she could possibly be proud of. Yet she is full of confidence. She approaches everyone with her head high and a smile. Why? Because she can be anything she wants. This was me as a kid.
I could walk up to anyone and be myself. I could be loud and proud no matter what the cause. Everything was different in my eyes. You ask why I was confident? I ask why wouldn't I be? In my mind I was all powerful! My dreams and realities combined driving me into a state that can only be described as childhood.
Have you ever noticed that kids aren't afraid to ask the big questions? The why's and what's and who's and when's? And they aren't afraid to challenge the answers of these questions either! When I was a kid if I believed the sky was purple, then no matter what you said the sky was purple. This audacious challenging of my parents, friends, teachers, and family got me into trouble. But while I was sitting in the corner learning my lesson I think they were learning a lesson too.
Why is it that after a certain point in our lives everything becomes black and white? Everything is rudimentary with specific rules and instructions telling you things are. "It is what it is." mom told me a lot. Did I ever accept this? No. "Why?" was my response and it was rarely meant with an answer. Because there simply was none.
I could walk up to anyone and be myself. I could be loud and proud no matter what the cause. Everything was different in my eyes. You ask why I was confident? I ask why wouldn't I be? In my mind I was all powerful! My dreams and realities combined driving me into a state that can only be described as childhood.
Have you ever noticed that kids aren't afraid to ask the big questions? The why's and what's and who's and when's? And they aren't afraid to challenge the answers of these questions either! When I was a kid if I believed the sky was purple, then no matter what you said the sky was purple. This audacious challenging of my parents, friends, teachers, and family got me into trouble. But while I was sitting in the corner learning my lesson I think they were learning a lesson too.
Why is it that after a certain point in our lives everything becomes black and white? Everything is rudimentary with specific rules and instructions telling you things are. "It is what it is." mom told me a lot. Did I ever accept this? No. "Why?" was my response and it was rarely meant with an answer. Because there simply was none.
Today we are surrounded by unanswered questions. When people ask you something sometimes we don't have the answers to give. But when we were children everything was easy to answer.
"Why does it rain?"
"Well because the sky is sad and crying daddy."
"Why does the sun go down?"
"The sun needs to sleep too!"
"Why do you hold your breath underwater?"
"I don't want to flood the cities in my belly."
"Why are kids and adults so different?"
"Because adults never lay in the grass. It's too dirty and the sky is too bright."
Granted the answers weren't always the most informed, but isn't that what we love about little kids? They are brilliant. That's why we quote them! But somewhere along the way we lose that ability to imagine. To believe. To see. We forget how to challenge. We forget to let reality and imagination run hand in hand rather than against each other as opposites. We forget how to live.
"Why does it rain?"
"Well because the sky is sad and crying daddy."
"Why does the sun go down?"
"The sun needs to sleep too!"
"Why do you hold your breath underwater?"
"I don't want to flood the cities in my belly."
"Why are kids and adults so different?"
"Because adults never lay in the grass. It's too dirty and the sky is too bright."
Granted the answers weren't always the most informed, but isn't that what we love about little kids? They are brilliant. That's why we quote them! But somewhere along the way we lose that ability to imagine. To believe. To see. We forget how to challenge. We forget to let reality and imagination run hand in hand rather than against each other as opposites. We forget how to live.
Now I'll finally address the question you've probably had itching at you. Why did I type up this post? Well, recently I ordered a chocolate milk out at breakfast with my family. I couldn't resist the urge to blow bubbles in the silky brown liquid so I didn't and I was immediately scolded with the question teens are being challenged with all around. "How old are you? Act you own age for goodness sake!" Wait what? In love age is just a number right? That's the famous phrase. So why is it that this doesn't carry through to everything. Why is it that childish tendencies are discouraged when we reach a certain age? Why is it that we document our history in textbooks, we cling to our mistakes and successes, we revel in our breakups with picture all over social media, but we do not cling to the portion of our lives in which we are the most alive. We are forced to let go of our childish minds and grow up. Now I'm not saying everyone should run around acting like children, but I challenge you to never throw away your childish tendencies.
So challenge reality and life's rule book, ask the big questions, believe in the impossible, live life with confidence, answer everything like it's obvious, be a bubble! Because this world needs people to keep pushing it forward! We aren't meant to find something that works and use it until it breaks, we are meant to keep inventing, keep inspiring, keep improving. Children are our best innovators!
I once heard a story about a truck. It was a big semi stuck under the bypass of a bridge. Traffic was held up and authorities were lining the streets. Highly certified engineers were hired and everyone was scratching their heads for a solution. A boy and his father were held up in traffic on the way to school and they got out to ask what was going on. After they were informed about the situation the boy tugged on his fathers arm. "I know how to get the truck out!" he told his dad who looked at him skeptically, "Why don't they just let the air out of the tires." he said like it was obvious.
So challenge reality and life's rule book, ask the big questions, believe in the impossible, live life with confidence, answer everything like it's obvious, be a bubble! Because this world needs people to keep pushing it forward! We aren't meant to find something that works and use it until it breaks, we are meant to keep inventing, keep inspiring, keep improving. Children are our best innovators!
I once heard a story about a truck. It was a big semi stuck under the bypass of a bridge. Traffic was held up and authorities were lining the streets. Highly certified engineers were hired and everyone was scratching their heads for a solution. A boy and his father were held up in traffic on the way to school and they got out to ask what was going on. After they were informed about the situation the boy tugged on his fathers arm. "I know how to get the truck out!" he told his dad who looked at him skeptically, "Why don't they just let the air out of the tires." he said like it was obvious.
So yeah, I don't have all the answers. That doesn't stop me from answering the questions. And no, I'm not a famous author, but I believe I can be anything I want to be. My reality and imagination are best friends and I am always confident enough to ask 'why'. I challenge the norm. I'm Maria and I am a bubble. <3 :) #ReleaseYourChildishTendencies |