"Dear Lord, thank you for those that you put in my path today. For great weather and productive work and good conversation. Please use my interactions today to bless someone as much as they have blessed me. As I turn on the TV, open my heart to a message you'd like me to hear."
The Waltons?!? Oh Lord, No!
"Oh yeah. And in Jesus' name...Amen."
Yep. Not only did it remind me of afternoons at Grandmas, the message was one of heartbreak.
Season 2: Episode 19 "The Cradle" (original air date in 1974) -- Olivia Walton (Mom) surprises her family when she announces that she is pregnant again. No spring chicken, she is advised to take it easy and everyone is happy to chip in and welcome a new member of the family. In a loving moment, Ma and Pa pick out the name Joyce - Joy for short. This made me smile and inspired me to text my husband this name as our future alternative to Emm Marie.
(He is; however, now convinced we are pregnant and with a boy though....so....another day/another story...)
Towards one of the last scenes, Ma looks uncomfortable and excuses herself from the evening conversation. She buckles under a hard cramp as she nears the stairs before taking an untimely commercial break. I grimaced and closed my eyes before collapsing myself under a flood of tears. "Oh no!", I said outloud into the empty house.
At the end of the show, we realize that Olivia has miscarried the baby. There is no Joy. But somehow, hope is not lost through their ever-familial power of love.
Blah. I just puked a little in my own mouth.
I'm not sure if it was the half glass of wine on my still empty stomach or what that made me slip a sin and cuss outloud, "What the F*CK?" quickly followed by an, "Oh Lord, I'm so sorry. But really? What am I to make of this message you've given me?"
And so I went into the kitchen to prepare my gourmet meal. When I got back and nestled in front of the boob-tube, plate in hand, I reached for the remote. Then stopped. Another Waltons episode. "Ok", I thought. I really am enjoying this nostalgic trip down memory lane. Let's see what warm fuzzies this story will provide.
Think again.
Season 2: Episode 20 "The Fulfillment" (also from 1974) -- Friends of the Waltons, Curtis and Ann Norton are unhappy to learn that they are unable to have children of their own. However, Stevie, an 8 year old "half grown" orphan visiting with the Waltons captures their heart. They adopt him at the end.
"Dude."
I could no longer deal. I quickly changed the channel to Bravo, just in time to watch Kim Zolciak-Beirmann (single ex-Housewife of Atlanta turned pro-NFL player wife for those of you who have better things to do with your life than watch TV like me) push out new real-life twins.
TV quickly turned OFF.
I never did finish that glass of wine. As much as I wanted it's sweet calm to rush over me, I just couldn't. Oh well. At least the pizza was good!
Goodnight Mary Ellen. Goodnight John-boy. Goodnight Jim-bob. Goodnight everyone.
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