More To Say

Have you ever seen American Beauty? (great review here) It's one of my favorite films. I haven't seen it in awhile, but it's still towards the top of my list. It's a bizarre movie, to say the least. Full of mildly and more than mildly awkward scenes (in other words, I wouldn't necessarily watch it with my parents), and strange ideologies. I wouldn't say I agree with the whole film, by any means, but it has some elements that are just so wonderful, so...beautiful.

That's why I love it, the beauty. It emphasizes the beauty in the mundane, even down to piece of trash, an old abandoned bag, dancing in the wind.

I think that's one of the most wonderful parts of the movie. The main character has a four-or-so-minute-long video of a bag, dancing in the wind. That's all. A simple dance, pure appreciation of a simple beauty in a moment most would pass completely by.

" It was one of those days when it's a minute away from snowing and there's this electricity in the air, you can almost hear it. Right? And this bag was just dancing with me. Like a little kid begging me to play with it. For fifteen minutes. That's the day I realized that there was this entire life behind things, and this incredibly benevolent force that wanted me to know there was no reason to be afraid, ever. Video's a poor excuse, I know. But it helps me remember... I need to remember... Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world, I feel like I can't take it, and my heart is just going to cave in." - Ricky

The dogwood tree petals. Today, they were my paper bag. Picked up by the wind, they danced and swirled, twirling their pale white skirts and showing off for the world in the simplest manner. Nature danced for me, and I delighted in the simplicity of its pure beauty. Swept up in a gust, it blew about, if you blurred your eyes it would look like snow on a warm spring day. Dipping, dashing, dancing - delight.