Thursday, March 6, 2008

Loss of Innocence


Warning! This post is being written by a woman under the influence of raging hormones!! I am sure these hormones serve a great purpose but I think today they are doing more harm than good. In fact I called my husband this morning and asked him to call a Mom-Sub agency because I am not in any shape to handle the job today. Almost every employee gets sick days occassionally and why should motherhood be any different? Oh yeah, motherhood is a privilege not a profession. Right! More on that thought later....but for now I digress:

Last night I watched a You-Tube film clip on another blog. It was from the old TV show "Family Affair". Of course if that were a current show it would be an incestuous reality series, but the reality is this show could not have been further from that. It was one of the last truly sweet, innocent, and unfortunately unrealistic shows of an era. My sister and I wore "Buffy pigails" in our hair and I still remember getting a Mrs. Beasley doll for Christmas. The show ran from 1966-1971 which is also the short time in which I had a complete family. My Dad left home in 1972 when I was 8 years old. After that my "Family Affair world" was torn apart. I watched the re-runs of "Family Affair" for a long time and seeing Uncle Bill lovingly raise Cissy, Buffy & Jody would give me some sense of comfort. There were many times I wished I lived with Uncle Bill!

I hadn't thought about that show in YEARS, until last night when the You-Tube clip sent me reeling back in time. Just seeing the apartment they lived in was like re-visiting a place in my own childhood. It was just as I remembered, paitent Uncle Bill, precious Buffy & Jodi, innocent Cissy and good old Mr. French. Thank goodness some things never change...........or do they?

What I then discovered was like losing a part of myself. Buffy (Anissa Jones) died from a "massive" drug overdose in the late 70's. She was 18 years old. Uncle Bill (Brian Keith) committed suicide in the late 90's. What happened to the perfect family I had watched and believed in for so long? Now I know these were only characters in a TV Show but they had been more than that to me. They represented the good times of my life, the time before destruction hit. Memories of a life that was safe and warm and not colored by the ugliness of divorce and lonliness.

So last night I cried. I cried for characters that never really existed. I cried for innocence that is lost far too early. I cried for a past that I wish so much could have been different. I cried for a world that has lost the vision of what "Family Affair" was all about. LOVE! Programs today are more concerned with laughs or shock value than delivering a message. I am so glad I got to be part of the "Family Affair" generation, even if it was only for a brief moment!

Thanks for reading my hormonal ramblings, no telling what will be next!

9 comments:

Angela Baylis said...

I'm so sorry to bring up some sad feelings for you! My childhood was less than perfect too and there were times I wished I lived with Uncle Bill, too! It was such a sweet show, but so sad how their lives ended.

I loved your post today!
Much love,
Angie xoxo

luvmy4sons said...

I remember that show! How sad about Buffy. I had a song do that to me once. It started to play and I burst into tears. Never did quite figure out what it had triggered!

Unknown said...

I get this Kelley! I came from a home that was broken too. I get it.

Yolanda said...

Mrs. Beasley was absolutely one of my very favorite memories of my "toys". About 10 years ago, a lady in our church heard me tell a story about me and Mrs. Beasley. She went to an auction, but a box of "stuff". GOT HOME WITH IT, and there was Mrs. Beasley. She came straight to my office the next week and blessed ME with it!

I actually cried, it was a moment for sure.

Susan said...

Ahhh, sorry this was all so bitter-sweet for you.

I remember that show and LOVED it too! I'm so sorry to read what happened in those people's lives.

Hope you are feeling better.

Yes, the HORROR-mones can cause us lots of woe~

Theresa said...

I need a t-shirt that says 'Got Hormones?' I cry every day. I think it's healthy to cry. I, too, grew up with the show. Today's tv is such garbage. We live in a cold, hard world. But Christ is in us and it's up to us to make sure that we pass Him on, letting people know that it's not just a show or a song. It's trash.

Thanks for the post. I love to see your true and honest heart.
The word of the week is Transparent. Thank you, Theresa

Joyful said...

Hi my friend, I just read your post. Sending you a hug. Know that the Lord keeps all our tears in a bottle (Ps. 56:8) and He loves you...hormones and all.
Love ya,
Joy

Young Creations said...

I remember that show and so many others. We would come home from school and watch Gilligans Island, I Dream of Jeanie, Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley. Clearly they must not have given as much homework those days as they do now. They were pure entertaining shows. Now it is mostly reality shows.

I think everyone whether they are willing to admit it has some baggage. Some of us are more willing to admit and deal with it. I had a "picture perfect" upbringing. Until the picture was defogged. We have to make the best of each and every day. It is hard considering HORMONES. I sooooooo get it!!!

Lauren

Anonymous said...

Kelley, thanks for sharing your tears with us. I love the way you express yourself with stories. Of course, I've told you before that I think you are a talented devotional writer. :)

Wishing you a hormone-free Friday!
Love,
Janna