It Only Takes A Smile

I just finished watching a beautiful documentary called Samsara. This 2012 feature was filmed on 70mm film and took five years to complete. “Samsara” in The Hindu tradition is defined as the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. This documentary explores this metaphor throughout the entire film, 25 countries, and no dialogue. We explore young Buddhist monks, inmates in the Philippines, destruction of natural disasters, the remarkable wonder of Hawaii’s Pele, and a pilgrimage to Mecca. Being a wanderluster at heart, I couldn’t help but long to visit these places the film took me to. But what an impactful masterpiece. Watching was like staring at a beautiful photography exhibit or sitting for a two hour meditation. All is communicated through our eyes in this film, which soak up the brilliant array of colors displayed in each scene. The documentarians display the vast difference lands and the citizens that reside in them. As I watched, i noticed most of them did not smile. I wondered is anyone here happy? Buddhists note that pain is inevitable and unavoidable, is this what unites us in this human experience? This film leads to further self reflective questions then answers. Take a peak…