Life Lessons from The Golden Girls
When I first moved into my current apartment, I opted not to get cable. I did splurge on internet - though for the first week or so before it was hooked up, I felt so disconnected I nearly went crazy! Anyway, I didn't always feel like watching a dvd so I started hunting down alternative viewing options online. To my delight, I stumbled upon the entire series of The Golden Girls! I had always enjoyed the show, but it wasn't until I watched it from the beginning that I came to really appreciate it. Because my sister likes lists - and I want to keep at least one of my four followers happy - I am going to return to that format and list the top five life lessons I've learned from the ladies of this fabulous series.
1. Don't be afraid to embrace a childlike innocence. No one does this better than Rose Nylund. She definitely comes off as dumb to the other women quite frequently, but she is also easily the most cheerful of the four. There are moments I find myself enjoying the simplicity and beauty of something, but too often I am caught up in whatever stress I'm dealing with. I forget to just slow down once in a while and take things at face value. I recently read a memoir of Betty White's in which she addresses Rose's personality. She said that Rose was not stupid. She simply accepted the most basic explanation without question. Naive, yes. But not stupid. What's wrong with a little naivete if it means you get to be cheerful? Nothing, I say. We should all be a little more like Rose. Maybe without the St. Olaf stories...
2. Remember that you deserve all eyes to be on you, and make sure everyone else knows it, too. Nobody can rival that Blanche Devereaux confidence! But what a great way to live. To simply believe that you are a devastatingly attractive person and behave as such every day is a goal I'd like to achieve! The woman got what she wanted - well, where men were concerned. And she had no problem recovering from the occasional broken heart. She certainly had moments where she waivered, but Blanche never let anything keep her down (emotionally, of course) for long.
3. Never underestimate the value of a well-played one-liner. I like to think that when I'm in my 80s, I'll be as sassy as Sophia. That lady knows how to hold her own. She doesn't take crap from anyone. Dorothy is good with the comebacks, but Sophia was the champion in my opinion. She's a wonderful model for staying sharp no matter your age or what you've been through in life.
4. There's no such thing as being "too old." I mean, these women really have some adventures! Especially in the romance department. This gives me a certain comfort as I'm about to hit that mile-marking 30th birthday. But I think it's important to apply this "never too late" motto to all areas of life. Even now, though I know 30 is truly not old, I have moments when I feel pressured to achieve certain things. I'm almost 30, better find someone to marry soon! I'm almost 30, better hurry up and have a baby soon! I'm almost 30, better wake up tomorrow and know what I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life doing. If nothing else, this show highlights that I cannot possibly guess all the adventures I'll experience in my future!
5. Everything looks better when you have a few close friends. Mostly when I watch this show, I appreciate the relationships between the four women. They don't seem on the surface like they should get along, let alone be best friends. But they stick with each other despite any challenges the world, or the writers, throw at them. I like my independence, but I also crave that kind of friendship. It's vital when the hits come to have people there who will help you recover.
So, that's my list. If you have a life lesson you want to add - or if this has inspired you to describe your favorite Golden Girls moments - please leave them in the comments section!!!
1. Don't be afraid to embrace a childlike innocence. No one does this better than Rose Nylund. She definitely comes off as dumb to the other women quite frequently, but she is also easily the most cheerful of the four. There are moments I find myself enjoying the simplicity and beauty of something, but too often I am caught up in whatever stress I'm dealing with. I forget to just slow down once in a while and take things at face value. I recently read a memoir of Betty White's in which she addresses Rose's personality. She said that Rose was not stupid. She simply accepted the most basic explanation without question. Naive, yes. But not stupid. What's wrong with a little naivete if it means you get to be cheerful? Nothing, I say. We should all be a little more like Rose. Maybe without the St. Olaf stories...
2. Remember that you deserve all eyes to be on you, and make sure everyone else knows it, too. Nobody can rival that Blanche Devereaux confidence! But what a great way to live. To simply believe that you are a devastatingly attractive person and behave as such every day is a goal I'd like to achieve! The woman got what she wanted - well, where men were concerned. And she had no problem recovering from the occasional broken heart. She certainly had moments where she waivered, but Blanche never let anything keep her down (emotionally, of course) for long.
3. Never underestimate the value of a well-played one-liner. I like to think that when I'm in my 80s, I'll be as sassy as Sophia. That lady knows how to hold her own. She doesn't take crap from anyone. Dorothy is good with the comebacks, but Sophia was the champion in my opinion. She's a wonderful model for staying sharp no matter your age or what you've been through in life.
4. There's no such thing as being "too old." I mean, these women really have some adventures! Especially in the romance department. This gives me a certain comfort as I'm about to hit that mile-marking 30th birthday. But I think it's important to apply this "never too late" motto to all areas of life. Even now, though I know 30 is truly not old, I have moments when I feel pressured to achieve certain things. I'm almost 30, better find someone to marry soon! I'm almost 30, better hurry up and have a baby soon! I'm almost 30, better wake up tomorrow and know what I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life doing. If nothing else, this show highlights that I cannot possibly guess all the adventures I'll experience in my future!
5. Everything looks better when you have a few close friends. Mostly when I watch this show, I appreciate the relationships between the four women. They don't seem on the surface like they should get along, let alone be best friends. But they stick with each other despite any challenges the world, or the writers, throw at them. I like my independence, but I also crave that kind of friendship. It's vital when the hits come to have people there who will help you recover.
So, that's my list. If you have a life lesson you want to add - or if this has inspired you to describe your favorite Golden Girls moments - please leave them in the comments section!!!
I was hoping you'd write on Andy Griffith. But I guess you leave that up to me?
ReplyDelete