So, I was watching 'Murder, She Wrote' earlier and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Let me first explain that I love that stinkin' show, it reminds me of childhood and calm, happy times back when my family still lived on the farm and we could hear the cows mooing while we watched TV. There are a few shows that do that and I love that feeling and I'll never stop watching those shows. Our generic brand TiVo is set to record all episodes of 'Murder She Wrote' and when I'm feeling tense I start one up and feel better.
I realized today another part of the reason why: in the world of Jessica Fletcher, justice is always served. The bad guy gets killed and the worse guy who killed the bad guy gets caught, admits his crime and then gets thrown in jail. Jessica catches the killer and helps her niece or nephew or friend from way back through whatever romantic, financial or other crisis that they're going through. Then there's a final scene where somebody makes a pathetic joke and Jessica laughs and we get a freeze frame on her face. Every time. Justice prevails and everyone's happy.
It doesn't work that way in the real world. Paul and I try so hard to be 'good' people and strong Christians and yet more crap is always getting piled on us, it seems. Meanwhile the people around us whose every word is a lie and who don't take proper care of their children and break the law constantly? Those people get promotions and health and more kids. In Cabot Cove, though (or Manhattan in later episodes or Ireland or England or Australia or wherever J.B.'s book tour happens to take her) the bad guy goes to jail and the good guys have happier lives for it. It just makes me feel good.
I also realized while watching today's episode (Showdown in Saskatchewan with guest star Kristy McNichol) that if I could FIND a damn JOB I would like it to be in some field where I could help justice to be served. Law enforcement or border patrol or animal control or even a meter maid or something! Some job where I could make sure that rules are being followed and those who don't follow them get punished. I am SUCH a rule follower and it drives me INSANE CRAZY MENTAL (which, frankly, isn't a long car trip) when people don't follow the rules and yet get away with it. I realize that this makes me sound like an incredible goody-two-shoes (I don't drink, don't smoke, what do I do?) and I guess I kind of am and that's okay.
Sadly, most of those jobs I listed involve a lot of running around and I'm not physically able to do that due to the Mystery Illness. But, in any case, epiphanies are always welcome and this one may one day help me steer towards a rewarding job instead of just 'oh please any job please'.
Thanks Jessica!
5 comments:
I also used to watch that show all the time. And I hear ya. Justice was easy in Jessica's world....not so much in ours.
Two things.
1)Volunteer! You only need to do it a couple times a week for a few hours a time, so it won't cut into your job search/interviews, AND it's a great way to figure out something you'd like to do, make connections, and just feel good about getting out of the house and doing something altruistic!
2) A really interesting thing about living abroad so much, is that it puts a big, fat magnifying glass upon your own culture, since you find yourself comparing you (your culture) to those damn foreigners (the culture of the country you're living in) every. single. day.
What you're describing is a VERY common American trait -- the need for justice, and most of all, EQUALITY in our day to day lives. Things are not like that in many other countries. People just accept the inequalities, or face/perceive them in a different way than we do. That can be maddening when you want everything to BE VERY FAIR.
I know you're not American, but although I don't claim to know Canadian culture that well, I know it enough to see that our two cultures have a lot of similarities (even though Canadians might wince at that statement!).
I know what you mean re. American and Canadian. We are, in many ways very different, but the basic culture and day to day life is pretty much the same.
I'm fascinated by the fact that inequalities are perceived differently in other countries...I didn't know that...I wish I could get to experience other cultures more.
P.S. You don't really want Jessica's world anyway...no matter where she goes, people drop dead around her like flies. Being her friend would be like a death sentence.
Seriously...I always wonder why her friends invite her to their ranches/castles/convents etc. Aren't they afraid they'll be next?
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