Living in a bubble

I was raised in a Christian household. Over the years, I’ve noticed how in this Christian/church/religion world the chances of living in a “bubble” are extremely high. Skyrocket high.

To some, the term bubble is quite unfamiliar. Allow me to explain.

There are almost always two sides of the story to anything you are being taught. As you are raised (homeschooled) in a Christian environment, your parents engrain their point of view on how the world works. Living in a bubble essentially means staying on one side of the story. No peeking at what could be on other side. It’s evil.

While homeschooled, a fun and dynamic atmosphere was necessary in academic activities growing up. If there was no fun doing schoolwork, I would not learn. If I did not learn, frustration would follow. So, I would make up mind games as self-motivation. I would interact with objects in my room to boost my intellectual drive, make learning entertaining. Then, came my first interaction with the “world”. 

My first year working at Starbucks, I was a shy, self-righteous human being. I did my work diligently, cleaned my area and tried to avoid the daily drama in the workplace. Individualist. However, the joyful person I really was would not “show up” to work. Slowly but surely I began to see how the bubble lifestyle was not compatible with what I was experiencing at my job. I wanted to have fun but being correct, error-free was my main goal.

I took a conscious decision to change this; go with the flow. This intentional shift enabled me to connect with my co-workers on a personal level. I was learning what the other side of the story was. My bubble was being popped. Working was not just about getting tasks done. It meant caring for others, making mistakes and learning from them. I kept my work ethic high while sowing seeds of friendship. I felt a wave of freedom wash over me. I learned what it is to be a team player.

I’m still a Christian. Just not in the bubble.