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Why Minutiae? That’s a question I’ve had several people ask me. The official definition of minutiae “the small, precise, or trivial details of something”. So, why would I want to quite literally call the things I want to share with the world small or trivial?
Well, first off, I don’t necessarily think that the small things are necessarily as trivial or irrelevant as people believe. Brevity does not indicate irrelevance.
I believe that very few things in life are truly irrelevant. Even the smallest of moments and the slightest of nuances mean something. Otherwise they would simply not exist. From the things we say and the rooted meaning behind them that we may not even be aware of, to the smallest moments of happiness and despair. They all add up.
This is Madison’s minutiae because this is about the small things. The things that I may not notice otherwise. The smallest thoughts that I’ve spent hours turning over and twisting in my head until I can start to at least make sense of them
I once had a professor tell me, “ it's important to me that people realize the words that we use matter enormously”. I feel that my words matter enormously. Even the slightest difference in tone, phrasing, or content. The things that I say and write are of importance and deserve to take up space. This mindset both inspires and polices me. It makes me take what I say seriously; pushing me to be better.
If people took themselves and their words seriously, even the “minutiae”, I believe several things would happen.
We would know ourselves better.
We would know each other better.
We would have a greater respect for both ourselves and others.
We would be more inclined to strive to be better.
So, I encourage you, pay attention to the little things. Those creeping thoughts or ideas that flit across your mind right before bed. That small offensive comment that person makes and you think “but it doesn’t really matter, right?”. I encourage you to value your words and your passions enough to appreciate the little things. You are worth more than allowing yourself and your ideas to become “small” and “trivial details” in this world. Don’t be afraid to take up space.
So, while my name may seem ironic, I guess the point is that there is no minutiae unless you allow it to become minutia. And, as mentioned previously, I urge you to resist the ease of becoming minutiae. Because often, that which is mistaken for minutiae is the most important part.
