Being a Part of It All

The audience clapped at the end of the Indiana Jones movie. Over the weekend, Barrett and I dared to see the new Indie movie. We were sure there would be long lines and crowded theaters, but we went anyway. The movie was decent, not an Oscar winner, except possibly for special effects. But when the credits began to roll, the audience clapped. I don't know if I've ever been in a movie theater in America when the audience broke out into applause at the end of a film. It reminded me of the Cayman Airways flight we took last summer. The passengers in the plane gave a round of applause when we touched down at our destination. This struck me as humorous and odd because I always thought of applause as an optional gesture when one is impressed by or proud of something or someone. But definitely optional. That means there must be an alternative, such as not being impressed or not feeling pride. When it comes to air flight, I don't see an alternative to landing the airplane. What, not landing the airplane? yikes. So, we clap if we land on the runway...we don't clap if we crash? It's just funny to me. Like it's an option for the pilot to land on the runway. But, I digress. Back to Harrison Ford and his famous fedora. I didn't particularly want to see the movie, but I saw it for two reasons. First, because my husband was counting down the days until the opening and I wanted to spend time with him. Second, because I truly enjoy being a part of big cultural events that bring strangers together for a common reason. I enjoy that feeling of buzz and excitement. There are not many things in this world that bring people together anymore. We live on our Palm Pilots, iPods, and computers. Most transactions these days are electronic. I think there's something to be said for a room full, stadium full, or auditorium full of real live people all brought together to enjoy an experience together. It's the same reason I watched the Indianapolis 500 this weekend as well. Granted, I wasn't there. But it still feels good to watch the race and to feel like I was a little involved. It's the reason I enjoy sports so much - bringing strangers together to cheer for the same team. We may not know the couple sitting next to us at the football game, but we all show up in the same colors, cheering for the same team, celebrating the same victory. I may never see these people again, but for a moment in time we were connected. I crave that connection. I love to be out in the world making those connections. I think there's something to be said for being a part of it all.