Bubbles Up!

Senior Moments is a series of reflections and lessons learned from my life. My hope is that it prompts you to reflect upon your own experiences. What stories do you want to share with your family?

I’m of the age when many of the celebrities of my era are passing away. I’m referring to those in my generation’s world of TV, movies, and music. You probably have your own list, but for me, learning of the deaths of the “idols” in my childhood/teens, Roy Rogers and Rick Nelson, was the end of a part of my life that would never be the same.

But I was surprised at my reaction to hearing of the death of Jimmy Buffet. Although I liked his music, I would never consider myself a fan. I was struck by a feeling I could only describe as grief. Perhaps it wasn’t the gut-wrenching sadness I felt when some of my friends passed away, but grief just the same.

I wondered if it was seeing Jimmy’s “dashes” flashing all over on TV and the internet. You know, the dashes that list birth year and year of death (seen on tombstones). Jimmy and I share the same birth year and seeing them so often on TV, made me think about my own “end-dash.”

I became transfixed on learning more about Jimmy’s life. I contacted a friend of mine who would describe herself as a Parrot Head. Suddenly, I had questions about her experiences at his events (the word, concerts don’t seem to encompass the experience) and sincerely regretted I never tried harder to attend one of them.

I’m not alone in associating his Caribbean flare music with palm trees, sun, water, and good times. Vacation time. Calmness. Margaritas (of course). Thinking about it now, I think Jimmy embodied all those images to me.

Strange as it seems to me, I became more of a fan of Jimmy’s after he passed away. (Ok, yes, I joined a couple of Facebook Jimmy Buffet fan groups.) Besides accumulating a lot of wealth, I liked that Jimmy maintained his friendly, down-to-earth personality. Over and over, I read stories about how people met him at different times in his life and in different situations. All of the ones I read shared similar sentiments of their interactions with him.

What impressed me most was the legacy he left. In writing my autobiography/photo journal, I asked myself the question, have I left the world a little better while I was on earth?

Jimmy certainly did. Besides giving many people so much joy and fun through his music and events, he used much of his fortune for good causes. I did not read anything anywhere where he was disparaged and not remembered fondly.

I quickly added Margaritaville to one of my music folders, along with On Monday, which was one of my favorite Buffet songs. But through my readings, I kept reading these stories that ended with “Bubbles Up.” At first, I thought it was a secret code word that only his Parrot Head fans knew.

I realized quickly, though, that it referred to a song—a song with a message. And so, I listened to this song that seemed to inspire his fans. This was one of his last songs and I too, found it to have an engaging lovely tune that gave me encouragement and hope. What a fitting way to honor this guy who lived life to the fullest.

I found an article that summed up the meaning of the song, below:

“In Jimmy Buffett’s “Bubbles Up”, the lyrics depict a person navigating through life’s hard times, using “bubbles” as a symbol for hope and guidance.

Through sharing stories with friends and holding onto the belief that “you are loved” and a “light up above,” the person finds the strength to keep going. The song encourages listeners to remain hopeful, emphasizing that joy and brighter days are ahead, highlighting the enduring presence of hope and love in one’s life.

Everyone feels lost sometimes, like they are just trying to stay above water. But the singer shares a tip: when you feel lost, just look to the bubbles. They can help guide you and give you hope, like a mantra or a reminder to stay hopeful. No matter how tough things get, remember you are loved and there is a light up above. Bubbles Up symbolize hope, pointing the way to go when things are rough. Bubbles is a source of joy and a beacon that leads to happiness and love and showcasing the constant presence of hope and love in one’s life. It promotes a positive outlook on life.”

** I couldn’t think of a better message for my readers in starting this new year of 2024.

“Bubbles up
They will point you towards home
No matter how deep or how far you roam
They will show you the surface, the plot and the purpose
So, when the journеy gets long
Just know that you are loved
Thеre is light up above
And the joy is always enough
Bubbles up”

[Excerpt from song lyrics]
*************************************************************

Why Substack??

You may already be familiar with the email newsletter platform I am using for these articles. It was created to support writers, like me, who have a passion to write and believe they have a message to educate, inspire, or entertain their readers.

Writing has never been about money for me. Certainly, my two self-published books cost me ‘way more than any residuals earned. I hope by using this vehicle I will be able to reach a broader readership.

Substack provides free access for readers, as well as an opportunity to support the writer with a voluntary donation. Please feel comfortable in continuing as a free reader. But if you feel so “moved” at any time, there is an option to make a monthly donation for any designated time period, starting at $5/month. Donations are made by signing up using the subscribe option below. Additionally, there’s an option to leave a one-time tip (like you might tip for coffee or other service).

As a thank-you gift for anyone signing up for a 6-month+ commitment, I will send a PDF copy of my personal Reflections pages of the PhotoJournal I created for my family (the redacted version). I hope my readers would enjoy my perspectives and maybe consider creating a similar document for their own family.

An additional feature of Senior Moments

I’d love to know your reactions and your own experiences as you read my articles. You can add a comment using the comment box below.