Finally Not Totally L O S T

It isn't always true what they say, about TV rotting your brain. Unfortunately, it is a TV show that has contributed to some of my most thought provoking moments in quite a long time. Tonight, after 6 years of devoting my Tuesday nights to what I think might be the best television show EVER, the mind screw has ended. I don't care how ridiculous it might be at times, I much prefer a mind stimulating program over a mind numbing one and that is just what Lost was to me. Tonight's series finale was no different. As some of you know, I tend to have very random "deep thought moments" so although this finale did not make my "Lostie" status equivalent to "Trekkie" status as I thought it might (or...maybe it did and I'm in a bit of denial about that part), it did provoke my thoughts enough to remind me of some good life lessons and leave me with some good, heartwarming, reminders of how one's life should be lived. I know, right? All THAT from a TV show...I need to get a life! But, so it goes....

Some of Lost's toughest critics might disagree with me. Some of Lost's biggest fans might even disagree with me. (And if you haven't seen this show and/or the finale, and intend to watch it in the future then this is your official SPOILER ALERT!) But the symbolism in this show and how you apply it to your own life is far more important here than the answers you seek to all the questions that you are virtually forced to ask after watching all six seasons. ("Every answer I give you will only lead to more questions.") Who cares where the food drops came from? Who cares what the numbers meant? Who cares why pregnant women died on the island? Who cares how the island got its mystical properties? Who cares why or how there was a damn polar bear on the island? These were all ways to draw you in, keep you watching, and force you to invest in the lives of each of the characters on the show, so that in the end, you care what happens to them. Each character that survived the crash and ended up on the island (and it IS my belief that they did in fact survive the crash and live on the island...if you can't grasp that fact, then you SHOULD hate the finale and the entire show for that matter, because otherwise, it was totally pointless) had a major flaw, a major mistake they made in their past, or a major issue they just couldn't overcome and had to keep running from, like all of us, because nobody, NOBODY is perfect. But its how you overcome these issues or how you live your life after these issues that matters. Its all about how you redeem yourself when given the opportunity. Each of them was given a chance, on the island, to make up for what they had done. To give back somehow. Like their own twisted community service. They taught each other lessons, protected each other, took care of each other, looked out for one another, sacrificed for one another and in many cases, saved each others' lives. Think of how much lovelier the world would be if people did this for complete strangers, or even their own loved ones, on a regular basis, as if it were the only way to survive. Think of how much less lonely folks would be. ("If we can't live together, we're going to die alone.")

I truly believe that each of us has a destiny; a path that is chosen for us long before we are here on this earth. Figuring out what that destiny is and following the proper paths to get there is the challenge. But I believe we always end up "there"...doing what we're supposed to do with who we're supposed to do it with. Choosing between right and wrong and finding your destiny are constant themes in this show and constant themes in life in general...at least in mine. But at the end of the day, I want to know that when I do look back on my life, even though the road may have been rocky, I will be able to see why I made the mistakes I made, and why I made the good choices that I made, and why I had to face the hardships I faced and that I ended up loving the people I was supposed to love. (That's what happened in the "flash sideways" moments on the show.) And I hope that when I do look back in that direction, I see that I did more good than bad. That I helped more people than I hindered. That I made a difference to at least one person. That when I see all of this, that I can let go of all the bad times, and the mistakes made, and the hardships. And that when my time on this earth is done, I can go to a better place, where I am free of all the guilt and sadness of the bad parts of life and am surrounded by the people who represent the best things I ever did. And this might be a long shot, but I think that's what those Lost writers were trying to say as well. Which is why the show and the finale resonate with me. It sits well with me to know that someone (maybe) thinks like I do. And if I'm wrong, well, then it was a damn good, mind boggling, thought provoking, addictive television show that I am proud to say I "wasted" several hours of my life on.

And that's all I have to say about that.

Yep, ALL THAT from a TV Show....RIDICULOUS, I know! ;) But thanks anyway to those damn good folks who "showed me the way."