Chemical reactions and life lessons

From “Listen and Learn Science/Chemical Reactions” from Wikibooks

“In a chemical reaction a bond might be formed, existing bonds might be broken, and some other new bonds may be formed. This concept is true, for all chemicals reactions, however big or complex the chemical reaction is.

This also gives us the idea that chemical reactions are not random. They occur, due to some scientific reason, of elements and compounds, to react with one another.

Chemical reactions result in a rearrangement of chemical bonds.”

Whispers from Left Brain

All through my school years I struggled with math and science. It always seemed so tight and logical, restrained and forbidding. In the upper grades, the increasingly complicated equations confounded me. I was never the student who could make leaps ahead in a problem. I had to follow each step meticulously, writing and rewriting formulas, drawing diagrams, anything to help me make sense of a seemingly linear equation. I learned to be competent, but it never, ever came easily.

This is why I am always surprised when the left side of my brain speaks up and helps me sort out the questions and uncertainties of life.

It came in a whisper while I was driving, going over the events of the week for probably the thousandth time.

Psst! That blow up was like a chemical reaction, like the eruption from a baking soda and vinegar volcano!

My eyes widened in shock. Left Brain! Was that you?

Other words started popping into my thoughts – inert substance, proton, electron, noble gas. It was like the vocabulary section on a science test, the only part of a science test I didn’t dread.

I’m not going to lie to you and tell you complete explanations also flooded in. They didn’t. I had to come home and look almost everything up, but clearly some remnant of science class had surfaced in my brain. I’m kind of proud of that. Given my marks in those classes, I think my teachers might be a little proud. Or shocked. I suppose they might be shocked too.

Inert – something that doesn’t react easily. Proton – positive charge. Electron – negative charge. Noble gas – least reactive. There were some easily drawn parallels.

Bonding, breaking, and rearranging

In a chemical reaction a bond might be formed, existing bonds might be broken, and some other new bonds may be formed. This concept is true, for all chemicals reactions, however big or complex the chemical reaction is.

My chemical reaction was accidental, a misunderstanding, and bonds were certainly damaged and some were broken. In this case, the misunderstanding was big. They don’t get much bigger, at least not in my experience. Small misunderstandings and unintended slights can cause just as much damage though.

This also gives us the idea that chemical reactions are not random. They occur, due to some scientific reason, of elements and compounds, to react with one another.

The morning after life slipped sideways and I found myself floundering, a little inspirational video came across my Facebook feed. A young boy wisely explained that we get very good at what we practice. If we practice complaining, we get very good at it, so good in fact, that we can find something, anything to complain about. We will never be satisfied. We can become so accustomed to responding a particular way that it is nearly impossible to react another way and we have to work hard to train ourselves out of that pattern.

At the beginning of January I challenged myself to practice daily gratitude for the entire year. I set a tall glass vase in my bedroom with a notepad and pen. Each day, usually right before I go to bed, I write one thing from that day I’m thankful for. I was seven weeks into this challenge when this big upset happened. I can’t tell you that my first instinct was to be grateful for what had happened, but I did go to sleep that night grateful for the many messages of encouragement and support that I had gotten. I found gratitude in my heart before I found resolution to the conflict.

Chemical reactions result in a rearrangement of chemical bonds.

When the dust settled, I took a long, hard look at the bonds that were affected and I did a little rearranging. I decided the value I had placed on particular bonds needed re-ordering in my sphere of influence. I believe that we are each responsible for the leaders we choose to follow, the teachers we choose to learn from, and the people we try to emulate.

Sphere of influence

“Because of the non-reactive properties of inert gases, they are often useful to prevent undesirable reactions from taking place.” from Inert Gas – Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inert_gas)

I know what qualities I want to cultivate in my life. I choose to have people who embody those qualities closest in my sphere of influence to encourage my own growth of those areas – kindness, gentleness, and understanding. Those people are the inert substances in my chemical reactions; they are the non-reactive agents whose influence in my life encourages me to respond rather than react. People who are more reactive are less likely to remain in my inner circle.

These reactionary moments in life are when I find I learn the most about who I am and who I want to be. Maybe that’s true for you as well.

So when the moment comes, and it always comes, how will you react? How will you have protected yourself? Will you have cultivated a sphere of influence that encourages and supports you? Will you have built practices, like gratitude or meditation or prayer, into your life to safeguard you from harm?

Or will you erupt like a 4^th grade science project?

Food for thought…

Love and light to you all!

If you’ve got a few minutes, check out these amazing chemical reactions from BeautifulChemistry.net

https://www.beautifulchemistry.net/reaction/