Monday, February 22, 2010

My stories

I am addicted to a few TV shows and I admit it is a problem.  I love it though, having something to look forward to every week.  I admit I get a lot done when they are airing re-runs but I do love to see how the plot plays out.  My sister used to share my obsession to a point but has stopped watching because of some of the story lines.  We used to watch Grey's and talk about it later.  However, she said that it started to depress her.  She saw an episode where a little girl with a terminal disease died and she decided she was done.  I have thought about that a lot as I have watched episode after episode of both Grey's and Private Practice (not sure why I watch that one... I hated Addison on Grey's).  As I watched last week's episode of Private Practice when a mother and father held their preemie baby as it took it's last breaths I realized why I still watch it, even with the sad endings.  It is because I have been there.  I have held my child's lifeless body and I know what it feels like.  In a possibly sick way, I like that the shows don't shy away from real-life situations.  It happens.  People die.  Babies die.  Those of us who have experienced that type of loss feel that most people who haven't, try to avoid the topic.  They feel uncomfortable when we bring up our children and want to change the subject right away.  Knowing that it is being put out there for the masses to see may help to open the eyes of those that haven't experienced that kind of heart break.  It does happen, we can't avoid it and even though in most cases we'd love to change it, we don't want to pretend that it didn't happen. 
So I will continue watching my stories, even if I sit and cry through the entire thing, because even if the characters are fictional, I don't feel as alone in my grief.  I will also keep watching the funny, out-there shows to keep things balanced. 

3 comments:

Melissa said...

I love those 2 shows too! Not too many episodes go by that I don't shed a few tears...

Lindsay Logic said...

I know people who won't read anything by Nicholas Sparks, because they say his books are too sad. I think his books are sad, but they're also realistic. I'm with you...I'll keep watching my shows (and reading my books) that don't always have happy endings. :)

Miche said...

You are right. Recently I was watching a documentary about the children's hospital of Arkansas and babies died. Whoever was watching it with me asked me to turn it but I couldn't. It was real. For those of us who have been there it isn't a tv show. It's life.