Bubble Zone

Everybody has some talent or skill in which they excel. It doesn’t have to be anything big, just something they call their own and claim.

I think of each of these items as a bubble, one that floats above the person. Some people have lots of bubbles. For example, a man who collects rocks, butterflies, and stamps might have three bubbles for his hobbies, another one for his occupation as a therapist, still others as father, son, husband.

Sometimes, one bubble will brush against another, and expertise from one will be shared with the second.

My bubbles are: my life, my writing, being a mother to John, being Flash’s owner, being a home owner. I have sub-bubbles, but those are my main ones.

The bubbles always expand to include more knowledge, more self-awareness. Sometimes, they contract, when we toss out misconceptions.

The problem with bubbles is that they’re a little sensitive to external stimuli.

For example, if someone came to me and said: “You’re not feeding Flash well,” I wouldn’t be a happy camper. I think my irritation would also keep me from listening to a potentially good idea. Because someone messed with my bubble, which is like saying, “You’re wrong.” When my doctor said: “I know more about you than you do,” we clashed immediately. He may know the science. I know the body. He stabbed at my bubble with no regard for my feelings.

The other day, I clashed with someone, and I couldn’t figure out why this person was so snappy. It took me a moment to realize that I had wandered into her bubble and poked at it with a ten foot pole.

Her bubble was a group she was running. She knew everything about it, monitored it, and claimed it. I dared to suggest something that she hadn’t to the group. The better way to handle this situation would have been to go to her privately, ask her what she thought, and if she agreed, ask her to distribute the information to the other members, thereby respecting the integrity of her personal bubble.

I’ve started envisioning people with their bubbles, and trying to figure out exactly what each person has claimed. It’s a fun way to view people, and leads me to understand them a little better, I think.