The little things in life end up being what the big picture looks like, even as they're simultaneously shuffled under the rug to suit any given situation. We've learned as consumers to attack the fine print with an almost OCD precision for fear of being duped/fleeced or cheated. But when it's time to provide that precision to others in the workplace, it often mutates into a defensive justification of why we can't be bothered, why it doesn't matter or isn't worth it. We're adrift in this shit ton of minutia, whether in positive or negative light. God is in the details, they say.
This past weekend while watching the Super Bowl Half-time Show, I realized Madonna is a perfect example of the detail double standard. I could write an entire entry (or two) about why she irks me but I won't, suffice to say that she is a Monet in my eyes. From far away, she's a pop culture mainstay that makes that money, flaunts that body and shocks that audience with no shame in her game for quite a few decades now. Props on that. Any article read, interview witnessed or publicity stunt endured however, and she comes across not as the "artist" she claims, but rather a competitive fame whore with no real gratitude to her fans, no real self-aware dignity of what she has already accomplished. There's no need to be chasing down juvenille adoration so aggressively, still, when we know it's just to remain in the limelight. If I didn't know the latter, I could accept the former. But alas...she might as well have been a crew member jostling a mop in drag, she was so out of place on that extravagant stage. Her Madge-esty was not so majestic, so I'm pretty sure that backfired to some extent. Her chosen details did her wrong.
Topical examples aside, if you're inspired to do something from the heart and with good intentions-uplift your fellow man, spread love not hate, that kind of thing-delightful details are part of the package. Taking pride in every last stitch is becoming a lost art form, but it doesn't have to. We could take a cue from the former generations on this one, as much as it pains us to admit that tid-bit. A job well done doesn't have to be shoved upon us from the outside in. Looking around and appreciating the small stuff that our job affords us-money to do it, contrast to enjoy it-can be all we need to step it up a notch and further a cycle of positive actions, not negative defenses. Our details can do us right.
The difference between like and love, first or second, yay or nay in relation to important things, boils down to the tiniest fragment and it's all up to your attention to maintain the good. If the little things noticed don't agree with the grand scheme you're working toward, they can become what's holding you back instead of helping push you forward.
Holding the door for someone, picking up litter as you happen by it, or smiling at someone that looks like they need it, are the only ways I how to keep the inspired details churned out, and coming back in. All for the sake of dwelling in a happy place and helping others join in. So make the most of those mole hills, the mountains await.
