Bubbles
Genre: Reflection; non-fiction
Inspiration: Epiphany
Last night while getting ready for bed I suddenly thought of bubbles. Soap bubbles to be specific, and I immediately thought that they'd make a great candidate for some kind of writing. Almost instantaneously the thought "least harmful thing in the world" came into my mind. As I thought about how to incorporate that idea into some sort of fiction about bubbles I challenged myself to think about whether bubbles really are the least harmful thing in the world. After all, if I am putting my credibility on the line for the sake of bubbles I'd want to ensure that I'm properly reflecting my opinions and not just capitalizing on a niftly idea. Plus, I hadn't really approached the problem "what is the least harmful thing in the world"...
Many things popped into my head immediately and seemed to be based on a few, logical criteria: small, soft, clean, not unattractive, free... and as I started to thing about those things that might embody some of these characteristics I realized that none fit the complete list. Dust is filthy, snow is very cold, water droplets dissolve dirt and aid oxidation, sand causes chaffing, animal hair bunches and balls and collects dust - the list goes on.
I'm not sure that if someone had asked to identify the least harmful thing in the world I'd actually have the clarity of analysis to come up with bubbles either. I was actually quite stunned that I had so effectively and immediately diagnosed the nature of soap bubbles, and I do believe that they are actually, literally the least harmful thing in the world. How's that for epiphany?
4 comments:
huh. Least harmful thing in the world? That's just begging for a challenge. What if you get one in your eye? That kind of hurts.
I welcome the challenge...
Someone at work said that today too, and also mentioned that a burst bubble stains a black suit???
Anyway, I think least harmful is a lot different than harmless... plus a bubble in the eye is hardly that bad.
is this biodegradable soap? i reckon a naturally moulted down-feather might be less harmful. or perhaps breasts? it can't be anything abstract can it, like 'modesty' or something?
hmm, i'll be sure to be on the lookout for things more non-hurty than a soap bubble.
I thought of feathers - they're pointy... I have a feather bed and even those little fuckers are pretty sharp when they poke out of the duvet.
Breasts get cancer. It kills you. Wow, you're a downer Tom. I do enjoy them though and they've never hurt me.
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