Bubble Cataracts

At my eye appointment in December, my ophthalmologist informed me I have bubble cataracts. I never thought that evidence that my body is aging and deteriorating would bring me joy, but today that's exactly what happened.

In Joyful, by Ingrid Fetell Lee, which Stacey Shubitz recommended when I interviewed her and Melanie Meehan on Chalk + Ink, I learned that there are certain shapes and objects that bring people joy such as, you guessed it, bubbles!

Normally, when I meditate at home, my window looks out at the tree-covered horizon. There are no human-made light sources. That is not the case here at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott. It's a harbor view which means lit up piers, police boats, flight towers. 

As I sat down to meditate, I thought I would close my eyes to distract myself from all the light. But when I took off my glasses (I am very nearsighted), bubbles surrounded me. Bubbles of white, green, gold, red, and blue light. Each bubble of light consisted of teeny, tiny bubbles. Some flashed-the flight towers, some drifted-the boats, and some anchored the view. I felt as if I was a character inside Christina Soontornvat's A Wish in the Dark.

It's going to be a bubbly weekend.