All the Brilliant Things

After the performances of Every Brilliant Thing, the theatre served ice-cream and set out a table for audience members to write down the things they find incredible about the world.

Once most of the audience had left, I would read what they wrote.

There were some good ones:

-Remembering why you walked into a room.

-A hot shower on a cold day.

-The first sip of coffee.

As well as a few bizarre ones:

-The way little dogs shake when they poop.

-Drinking water after you brush your teeth.

(Whoever wrote that one has to be insane.)

As the run went on, the table became full. It was great to learn about what people love. The wonderful things that make up our ever so fleeting lives.

-Driving a car with the stereo turned all the way up.

-Grandchildren.

-Being called out every Tuesday and Thursday in Intro to Theatre class by David Lee Nelson.

(I call out many people. That could be anybody.)

This world has so much darkness. So many things to make one angry. Injustice and poverty. Sickness and death. The proud man’s contumely. The pangs of despised love.

I’m not suggesting that thinking about kittens and rainbows will solve all of our problems. People will still have depression. I’ll still have cancer. Lindsay Graham will still be a senator. But it is good to stop and remember snow. And a night at a bed and breakfast for your birthday. And dancing in the rain. And blowing your nose in a hot shower. And best friends. And singing because you’re happy.

And on the whole drinking water after you brush your teeth thing, I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree.