What is it About That Bubble
We are so quick to throw people into a bubble. Humans have categorized themselves for centuries, placing one another in his or her appropriate bubble. When we find someone unique, who doesn't quite fit into this bubble nor that bubble, we make a new bubble. The individual is thrown into the new bubble, without a "group" to call their own, and is outcast.
This is played out in people who have a disability, speak a different language, follow a different culture or religion. You name it. Humans, we find comfort in our bubble: surrounded by likeminded people we can relate to. No need to stretch our creative muscles; no need to think outside the box; no need to exercise empathetic feelings. Into the corresponding bubble we go.
In this case, we are missing out. We are missing out on so much that people who are different than us can teach. Our bubble isn't the only bubble, and therefore, another bubble will have a new perspective. And this perspective may even be a better perspective. Spiraling a better idea, solution, thought, action, response.
Why do we fear differences? Is it nature or nurture? Are we genetically designed to creat cohorts, and to fear other cohorts as a survival mechanism? Do we learn from a young age that differences are scary and intimidating? Or, likely, is it a combination, formed some long time ago and now is just a way things are done.
But those who are different carry something so rare inside of them. They know this, but it takes those of us in our bubbles longer to discover. We can't exactly name it, but we know it's rare and we know it's good. We secretly want it, though we're also secretly glad to have a bubble: to be protected by our normalcy. We thank our stars every day that we have a bubble, a place in the world. Though our curiosity of the rare bubble, all alone, stays hidden deep inside our hearts. What is it about that rare bubble, the different bubble, the bubble who doesn't fit in, that we admire? That draws us in yet also pushes us away?
We preach "We're all beautiful", "Embrace your unique/differences", "You can be whatever you want to be", yet we stay in our respective bubbles. We know, without much thought, which bubble others belong to. We know our bubbles rank among the neighboring bubbles. We know who belongs in our bubble and who doesn't. We know what separates the bubbles.
Yet the curiosity, masked as fear, remains. What is it about that rare bubble that makes our heart sing a new song. What is it about that rare bubble that makes us turn our cheek without losing our gaze. What is it about the rare bubble.
Words can't say.
This is played out in people who have a disability, speak a different language, follow a different culture or religion. You name it. Humans, we find comfort in our bubble: surrounded by likeminded people we can relate to. No need to stretch our creative muscles; no need to think outside the box; no need to exercise empathetic feelings. Into the corresponding bubble we go.
In this case, we are missing out. We are missing out on so much that people who are different than us can teach. Our bubble isn't the only bubble, and therefore, another bubble will have a new perspective. And this perspective may even be a better perspective. Spiraling a better idea, solution, thought, action, response.
Why do we fear differences? Is it nature or nurture? Are we genetically designed to creat cohorts, and to fear other cohorts as a survival mechanism? Do we learn from a young age that differences are scary and intimidating? Or, likely, is it a combination, formed some long time ago and now is just a way things are done.
But those who are different carry something so rare inside of them. They know this, but it takes those of us in our bubbles longer to discover. We can't exactly name it, but we know it's rare and we know it's good. We secretly want it, though we're also secretly glad to have a bubble: to be protected by our normalcy. We thank our stars every day that we have a bubble, a place in the world. Though our curiosity of the rare bubble, all alone, stays hidden deep inside our hearts. What is it about that rare bubble, the different bubble, the bubble who doesn't fit in, that we admire? That draws us in yet also pushes us away?
We preach "We're all beautiful", "Embrace your unique/differences", "You can be whatever you want to be", yet we stay in our respective bubbles. We know, without much thought, which bubble others belong to. We know our bubbles rank among the neighboring bubbles. We know who belongs in our bubble and who doesn't. We know what separates the bubbles.
Yet the curiosity, masked as fear, remains. What is it about that rare bubble that makes our heart sing a new song. What is it about that rare bubble that makes us turn our cheek without losing our gaze. What is it about the rare bubble.
Words can't say.
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