Vitrification is a process of converting a material into a glass-like amorphous solid that is free from any crystalline structure, either by the quick removal or addition of heat or by mixing with an additive. So, what does this mean and why am I writing about it?
Well, your most recognizable example of this process occurs as you walk along the beach and you find a solid form of light-brown tinted glass lying in the sand. When lightning strikes enough sand it can create glass. In this case, the sand heats up and liquefies, then rapidly cools into a glass-like state. When you reach down and pick up this vitrified glass you’re holding evidence of nature changing itself.
We can take a lesson from nature. Feeling awkward in social situations or being mentally challenged often increases our body temperature because our innate “flight-or-flight” preservation response tells us that our system is under attack. Things are heating up for us, we are getting hotter; sweating, dry mouth, jittery, nervous are all responses that we know.
Do we need to change? Does the heat that we’re experiencing indicate that we’re getting ready for the proverbial bolt from above? Will changing help us feel comfortable? Well, nature seems to understand change fairly well and accepts the idea as part of life. Could it be that we are stubborn when the need for change comes our way? I think that we all agree – a bolt of lightning is extreme and no one wants to experience a fast, atmospheric, electric flash with enough energy to discharge itself and change us into glass.
Vitrification is extreme. Maybe a slow, uncomfortable burn is more manageable when we are looking for clues of change. We want to feel good, relate well with our partner, enhance our well-being and mental ability in a low anxiety environment. No one wants to get zapped with high-voltage electricity! Embracing the need for change may be a powerful potential antidote to loneliness or social isolation – “therapy without a therapist.”
Making change when we first feel uncomfortable in social situations may be the key to a comfortable transition. Introducing small adjustments to our daily lives before big changes are needed seems logical. It’s like experiencing light rain with far-off thunder instead of standing in a hurricane with the constant threat of a lightning strike.
