9 years ago, a sitcom pilot aired.
Back then, I didn't know that it was a sitcom. For whatever reason, I assumed that it was a reality show hosted by Neil Patrick Harris about kids reuniting with their estranged mothers. I don't know why I thought that. I was in my 20s. I was young and stupid.
Fast forward to 2010. I had just been laid off. I didn't have any sense of direction. One of my roommates had just received Disc 1 of Season 1 from Netflix. (This was before the days of Instant Streaming!) She invited me to watch it with her. I discovered that it was not a reality show, but a really cool, well-written sitcom about 5 friends who were living in New York, and struggling with things that all 20 and 30-somethings struggle with. Thus, an addiction was born.
We watched Season 1 together, then when I moved out, I continued to watch the show so that I could catch up and watch the show in real-time. Since then, watching the show while eating junk food has become my Monday night tradition.
I recently turned 30, and as I watch my friends all around me settle in to their relationships, marriages and parenthood, I feel a bit like Ted. I'm looking for some sort of direction in my career. Unlike Ted, I'm not sure I ever want to get married, but it might be nice to one day find "The One"
Tonight, the show will come to end. We'll see Ted finally find what he has been searching for for 9 years.
Two weeks ago, the main characters reunited with someone from their past. Future ted said something that really struck a chord with me. It "hit me in the feels", as the kids say these days. He was talking about losing touch with people in your life. The quote was:
"You will be shocked when you discover how easy it is in life to part
ways with people forever. That's why when you find someone you want to
keep around, you do something about it." —Ted Mosby, How I Met Your Mother Season 9 Episode 21: "Gary Blauman"
It really hit me because now, as an adult I understand how true that is. I've been pretty lucky. I have some friends from high school, college and past jobs that I may not see all the time, but still catch up with from time to time, either in person or online. There are also some people that I didn't see for years and reconnected with later in life. There are also some people who were once a huge part of my life, then life got in the way. Sometimes a great friendship gets downgraded to an occasional Facebook comment, sometimes nothing at all. Maybe one day, I'll find my way back to those people as well.
The truth is, kids, you can't plan every second. You have to live your life, take things as they come, hope for the best, stay positive, and make sure the people you love know how much you care. It's the best any of us can do.
