The Beauty of Mundania

    This week I chose Mortified Nation from a Netflix suggestion and I was pleasantly surprised.
    This is possibly one of the most inane documentaries that Hannah and I have watched so far. It details a current fad of everyday people getting up on stage and reading extremely embarrassing (and hilarious)  portions of their diaries and journals from decades before. I posted a video of this from YouTube below the trailer.  This movement has become popular in several cities including Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Austin and several others.
    My favorite thing about this documentary is that it showed a great perspective of the big picture of life. Through the experiences of these teenagers the audience vicariously relives the emotional turmoil that comes with adolescence and we can all see how temporary even seemingly insurmountable problems can be.  I was left wondering what things in my life now seem like a really big deal but will turn out to be completely inconsequential. It also left me with a feeling of appreciation for the now, an appreciation of the beauty of the mundane.
     Those who journal regularly will tell you that this is the joy that is found in keeping a journal.  Many of us, myself included, are simply trying to get through life and on to the next big thing. The next paycheck. The next holiday. The next new purchase. The next orgasm. In the end we end up missing much of the beauty in life. We miss the beauty in the daily alarm clock, the routine breakfast, the traffic on the way to work, the regular lunch, and forced relationships with coworkers.  Without these things our lives would be void and meaningless. As much as we would like to deny it, we are going to be remembered by the mundane and banal things we do, at least by those closest to us. In my own life I need to remember that my life will not finally "start" when I get a better job. It won't begin when I get married or pay off my school loans. My life is now and I need to live it now and appreciate it for what it is now.
     Hannah and I enjoyed this film so much that we immediately went online and got tickets for the next show. This is definitely a film y'all should check out. I must warn you however, that while this documentary may seem like it is perfect to show your teenagers, it is actually extremely explicit. You were warned.