Following is my journal post from September 23, 2011…
Today marked the end of an era for me - the final episode of "All My Children". I have been a loyal fan for almost 35 years and today I had to say good-bye to my friends. People I have come to know as well as friends and family in my life: Erica, Kendall, Jackson, Tad, Dixie, Bianca, JR, Adam, Brooke, Ryan, Greenlee, Angie, Jesse, Palmer, Daisy, Myrtl, Phoebe, Jenny, Greg, Opal, Ruth, Dr. Joe, Jake, Amanda, Natalie, Jeremy, Dmitri, Phil, Tom, Heather, Janet, Stuart, Liza...the list goes on. I've watched them fall in love, fall out of love, get married, get divorced, have babies, be kidnapped, survive plane crashes, deal with addiction, be on trial for murder, and come back from the dead more than once. I feel no shame in saying that I've been addicted to their stories and have watched them whenever I had the opportunity. And now, they are gone. The final scene: As Erica cried out to her love, Jackson "don't leave me - what will happen to me?". And Jackson replied "frankly, Erica, I don't give a damn" (Hello - Gone With The Wind!) It was a perfect ending and I'm not going to lie, I cried. Good bye "All My Children".
Fast Forward To Today, April 25, 2013…
I first began watching “AMC” when I was very little, probably early grade school. One of the benefits of having older sisters was experiencing the world at times based on their current interests, and one summer day, I sat down with my sister to watch my first soap opera. Of course, I was not naïve to the allure of the soaps as my mother had been a dedicated fan to “As The World Turns” for as long as I could remember. When her “show” came on, it was certain that I would be enjoying an egg salad sandwich while I watched “Captain Kangaroo” in another room. From that first viewing in the early 1970’s until my last viewing in 2011, I would catch up with my show as often as I could. Soaps are a unique genre – they move quickly but at the same time, nothing ever seems to change. They are about fantasy, drama, romance, and lives that (thankfully) none of us will ever experience. They are purely escapist and I’m thrilled that I’ll once again be able to watch my show…familiar friends but in a new way.
The world was very different in the early 1970’s. We were drawn to different stories and had very different ways of sharing them. I know many of us lament the loss of the good old days when a trip to the mailbox might mean a letter from a friend or a beautiful invitation to a celebration. We now receive those stories electronically in many cases and we mourn the loss of holding them in our hand, displaying them on our frig, or saving them in a keepsake box. Back in the 70’s, I recorded my important moments in a small pink diary with its own lock and key. My memories and thoughts were held secretly and were meant only for me. Today, I tell my stories through my online photo gallery, facebook updates, and this blog, and though I have control over how much I share, the truth is I’m willing to share myself more publicly in the digital world. I’ve evolved with our culture and with technology. In much the same way, soap operas are now evolving as well. Originally started as radio programs, these “stories” then became the lunchtime companions of homemakers, then the on-demand cable replays for those who were working outside the home during the day, and now, to the online world for anytime access. They will be quicker, probably more visual and possibly even more interactive. But while the format will be different, I hope that they will retain all that I loved – the campy, romantic, completely escapist drama that makes me glad to live in my life rather than theirs in Pine Valley.
The world evolves around us and we try to change along with it. Our stories evolve as well. The “drama” of today might give us a laugh next week. The characters around us change – moving in and out of our stories as we move in and out of theirs. Just like my friends on “AMC”, we breathe, we laugh, we cry, we celebrate, we grieve, we worry, we anticipate, we plan, we apologize, we grow, we love. Be IN your moments today because, unlike my friends at "AMC", we don't get a dress rehearsal. Enjoy the moment!
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