It hit me when I sat in a showing of Broadway’s The Lion King in St. Louis, MO. As the brilliant actors took the stage for their final bows, the crowd erupted with applause. Everyone rose to acknowledge the actors’ performance and work ethic to the fullest extent possible. As I joined them, grinning and clapping, I realized how beautiful this act was: just pure appreciation for people’s art. Not just for the finished product, but for the recognition of the work they put in.
How many more of these underappreciated, beautiful elements in our culture lie right under our very noses? How many traditions do we partake in without realizing how cool they truly are? I think this message is more important now than ever. Especially with how much negativity the media pushes into the spotlight, focus on the existing beauty in our culture preserves our pride in it.
I took a loooong while to write this post; my hope was to search for these elements in day-to-day life. So, I found these through work shifts, time with friends, classes, and even solo time. Enjoy these highlights – and keep an eye out for others that you notice as well. 😉
1. Standing ovations after a live show.
The energy during the final bows is just… unmatched. The audience, elated from the closure of a good show, returns the cast’s energy in applause of genuine appreciation. In turn, the smiles on the cast members’ faces implies their pride at a job well done. How often do you get to see so much overflowing joy in one room?
2. Clapping in a movie theater after a highly-anticipated scene.
You know that moment when a peak, imagination-only cameo appears on-screen and the theater just erupts? (Looking at you, Spiderman: No Way Home.) The world fades away, and you leave with a sense of community over the experience everyone will be talking about for months. Those are the kinds of moments to live for.
3. Rehearsals where the singers get totally lost in it.
Here are some top ones that seriously give me goosebumps every time I watch them:
- The Greatest Showman | “From Now On” with Hugh Jackman | 20th Century FOX – YouTube
- The LION KING & ALADDIN Broadway Casts Airport Sing-Off – YouTube
- The Greatest Showman | “This Is Me” with Keala Settle | 20th Century FOX – YouTube
Talk about “wow” moments – some of the coolest, underappreciated, beautiful elements in our culture.
4. Dancing at wedding receptions.
There’s something beautiful about seeing generations of two families coming together purely to celebrate. After the ceremony stresses are over, everyone’s free to mingle, swap stories, and have some fun together. And the cool part? These are the kinds of memories that start off new couples on the right foot – memories surrounded by their joined family.
5. Saying “hi” to friends in small-town grocery stores or coffee shops.
Ya know when you’re walking in your local, small-town grocery store and see people chat in the middle of the produce aisle? I took those moments for granted. That is, until I moved away to my college town. During that time, I visited a tiny, out-of-the-way coffee shop one night and chilled for a while. I sat in the background, writing and observing (10/10 recommend btw!). People would stop and say hi, visit with the baristas, or make lighthearted conversation with strangers about C.S. Lewis literature. That’s when I realized… These simple conversations mean so much. They’re pleasant, non-agenda-driven human connections. We talk so harshly of people, yet we often forget that moments like this happen every day. How cool is that?
6. Decorating for the different seasons.
It’s kinda weird when you think about it, right? We celebrate autumn by putting replicas of dead leaves in our home (even though we rake the real ones out of our yards). The process looks different for each season/holiday, but we associate some decor scheme with each season. And, oftentimes, it’s just a thing we do. Yet, how much more is it – this tradition that spans across generations? Family memories form around the decorating process, and homes have different vibes based on what season it is – cozy for Fall, refreshed for Spring, etc. I think that, no matter what season you’re preparing for, that’s pretty beautiful.
7. Music as a universal language and go-to conversation starter.
What’s one of the first questions you ask when you’re hanging out with a new friend or getting to know someone? “What kind of music do you listen to?” And the reason is because, no matter what their answer, it’s guaranteed to start some kind of conversation. Even if they’re into rap and you’re into musicals, there’s always some lyric, instrument, or style to talk about. One of the best underappreciated, beautiful elements of our culture in my opinion.
8. Sharing things we create/pieces of ourselves with loved ones through music and art.
I admit, social media has its pitfalls. However, it has its upsides too – one of them being how easy it is for people to share their creativity. Whether it’s a self-recorded song video, an art project, or a small crocheting business, people are able to share elements of themselves virtually with their friends and family. And the cool part? Friends and family can then hype them up! Creative expression and encouragement has a whole new meaning now. I, for one, am glad to be a part of it!
9. How communities band together to survive.
Please note: Tragedy is heartbreaking, not underappreciated. This point is not to make light of natural disasters or other events that would require charity, benefits, or other forms of aid.
However, since tragedy does exist in this world, it’s encouraging to note how people tend to step up to help each other – even if they get nothing in return. There’s something wholesome and natural about communities banding together to help those in need. Sometimes we take it for granted (especially if we’re not the ones in the situation); yet, hard times remind us that we’re not alone. We’re not stranded survivors; we’re community members.
10. The way we treasure coloring pages.
You know when a little kid gives you a coloring page (or even when you made it yourself back in the day), and you hold onto it forever? Have you ever thought about how many people do that? It’s the sweetest, most innocent thing ever – to me, that type of childhood bonding and innocence is worth protecting. It’s one of the most underappreciated, beautiful elements in our culture.
Kind of an unconventional list, right? I hope you saw the merit in it; I know that writing this article definitely gave me a lot to think about. How much I take for granted or breeze over because I’m stressed or discouraged. While those are very human emotions too, these little daily gestures remind me that there is still good in people and there are a lot of good people out there.
You might be wondering how this ties into the 3 pillars here at Build With Bethany. Well, here’s how I see it: we have to live, work, and study in this culture. Chances are, we have to interact with people on a daily basis. Yet, with all the negativity around, it can get harder and harder to do that. That’s why this article was important for me to write – both for my own mindset shift and to share with other young people. Our mentality about humanity matters! If we see others (and, therefore, ourselves) as worthwhile, then we will treat them that way. It’s worth a little bit of a long post and self-reflection.
Again…
There is still good in people, and there are a lot of good people out there.
Now that we’re talking on this path, what aspects of daily life make you smile or remind you of beauty? I’d love to read them!
This post on beautiful elements of our culture may call for a part two… What do you think??
Thanks for reading, and have a great week!
