WICKEDGOOD

The key is to extrapolate from your special partiality and apply the feeling to the rest of the world. The "global village, global family" is, honestly, a dream. A psychological impossibility. You can't love the whole of humanity with the intensity of your feelings for a boyfriend. Or a mom. Or your Binky. So when that guy behind you starts humming along to the musical songs you're trying to get all involved in, remember your "annoying" friend who might - who totally would - do that, too, if he were here with you. He wouldn't be able to help himself. And actually, it would be kind of cute. 

And all of a sudden, forgiving is so easy. And you lean forward in your seat, all engrossed and involved in the action on stage, no matter how strainedly huge-guy-behind-you is hummin' along. His girlfriend sitting one seat over is probably a little bit embarrassed and also a little bit endeared to him at the same time, mysteriously happier and sadder in equal amounts, as love tends to make you feel. So I hear. 

Once you've extrapolated your friend-feelings onto the hummer behind you, the whole world is a little bit easier to love. You unfrown those scrunchy eyebrows, uncross those bratty metaphorical arms, which all opens you up just enough to notice the nerdy boy one row over, almost spitting in enthusiasm at the INCREDIBILITY OF THE LYRICS, THE THEMATIC CONSISTENCIES; and sitting in front is a family of smartphoners, each engrossed in intermission-time activities that reveal so much about how different they all are (Harry Potter trivia, flappybird, and one reads an article in small print and serious colors); and then your gaze comes back, full-circle, to your own row of quirkily lovable, funny lovely people, 

and it's all another all-inclusive, conflationary reminder of the World's Goodness, as the harmonies full the theater up to its ceiling, so close, and your ears and heart chambers and eyeballs and lungs. One more example to tuck into the notebook of Things to Remember, to be pulled out in emergencies of faith-loss and the subsequent despair. 

The World is Good. Wicked Good.