My reflections after watching the finale of the The Office. Literally minutes ago.

“There’s a lot of beauty in ordinary things,” she said. “Isn’t that the point?”
Pam Beesly-Halpert,

Pam Beesly-Halpert, The Office Finale

.

I’m sitting here mid-afternoon. 

The distraction became the discovery.

Between sales calls and writing and radio production, game prep and podcasts – you know the weird mix of things my life has become.

The Office on Hulu grabbed me.

The “That’s What She Said” show.

Background noise became bittersweet.

It’s been years since the show left episodic television (I love that word, makes me sound erudite.) I think it was 2014, who knows, like me I’m clearly out of touch.

“It all seems so very arbitrary. I applied for a job at this company because they were hiring. I took a desk at the back because it was empty. But, no matter how you get there or where you end up, human beings have this miraculous gift to make that place home.”

— Creed Bratton, The Office Finale

They say there’s a time for everything, I suppose.

The show was largely subtle slapstick for me.

Until the final episode.

I did actually watch it today.

It’s like a family growing up before your eyes.

It finally made sense. What the show really was about.

“I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days, before you actually left them” –

Andy Bernard, The Office Finale

For years, I just was drawn in by comedy.

Today, I realize it was parable of how we all are messed up. How we drift between joy and despair.

Being stuck in a reality that you didn’t want – but here you are.

Then I see goofy Andy Bernard risking it all. Burning his ships, going on a reality show. Then in the end speaking to graduates at his beloved Cornell. Poetic

Creed Bratton with a guitar singing with Rip Van Winkle. (He, well the actor who played him actually wrote the song this moment.)

Dwight and Angela live happily ever after. I never saw that coming.

Jim and Pam and the roller coaster love story that is probably closer to real life than we admit. Pam telling the tale of her fear. The paralysis of being neither here nor there. Finally just walking across the hot metaphorical coals.

..and all this while this group of goofballs with so many issues and  problems just like our friends, family and co-workers.

…we make it through, however ever we make it through.

I’ll have to go back and watch again. 

“Everyday when I came into work all I wanted to do was leave, so why in the world does it feel so hard to leave right now” — Darryl  Philbun

Jim’s first line:
“My job is to speak to clients on the phone, about the quantities and types of copier paper. You know, whether we can supply it, whether they can pay for it, and… I’m boring myself just talking about this.”

Jim’s last line:

“My job was to speak to clients on the phone, about the quantities and types of copier paper. Even if I didn’t love every minute of it, everything I have I owe to this job. This stupid, wonderful, boring, amazing job.”

Jim Halpert, The Office

“It’s like all my kids grew up and married each other. It’s every parent’s dream” -Michael Scott

For more on my podcasts and other projects click here