Gratitude Practice 2020 Day 282: M*A*S*H

In October 1979, I was a toe head blond three year old little girl who was probably consumed with crayons and dollies and most certainly snacks of any kind. Fast forward a few years, and as a school age girl, I spent lots of evenings sleeping over at my grandparents home where every evening ending in their front room enjoying a small dish of mint chocolate chip ice cream and watching an episode of the beloved television series M*A*S*H.

Watching M*A*S*H while eating ice-cream with my grandparents is a foundational part of my development and my identity as an American and a respectable TV consumer. Thanks to M*A*S*H, I grew up knowing that femininity, leadership and medical prowess could easily be measured by the beguiling blond bombshell "Hot Lips" Houlihan. Universal friendship was best represented by either B.J. Hunnicutt or Trapper John and all goodness was forever found in the infallible Father John Mulcahy. Dirty old men always looked and behaved like the irritating felonious Frank Burns and all Englishmen were probably as snobby and superior as Major Charles Winchester III. Corporal Klinger taught us all that cross dressing, while often comical and exploratory, will never get you kicked out of the army and that nobody loved horses, sweet Mildred, medicine or America more that the ever favorite patriotical Col. Sherman T. Potter. Hawkeye Pierce made medicine, martini producing chemistry sets, ratty red bathrobes and snarky sarcastic humor just so so cool. And without question, a heavy and consistent dose of forever fan favorite and loveable boy next door/perennial little brother Radar O'Riley just seemed to make all things, including war time medicine, not just manageable but an enduring environment for growth, laughter and human development.

Oh, television...you really out did yourself with M*A*S*H. These people. This combination of characters. These storylines and character arcs first produced in 1972... four years before I was even born really gets the job done. That perfect amount of army green displayed in every shot of every scene of every episode throughout its impressive 11 season run. Absolute television perfection and one I have become more grateful for over the last few weeks.

Burke also grew up watching M*A*S*H and he loves it. In our now twelve years of marriage, he is currently re-watching the full series for a second time. To be honest, I thought this second round was a bit excessive and I don't often join him in watching but when given the chance he turns on an episode as he cooks or cleans or putters and these charming characters, witty dialogue and steady old school laugh track provides a harmless background and soundtrack to a house bound global pandemic.

Overall, it's not really a bad thing at all and last night we started watching an episode while in bed as we ended the day. My brain was fatigued and buzzing as it normally is by most Thursday nights but much to my surprise my heart burst open and my eyes started leaking uncontrollably thanks to these beloved characters. Need a good heartfelt cry...just start watching season eight episode #4 "Good-bye Radar Part 1." Grab the tissues and buckle up because episode #5 "Good-bye Radar Part 2"... will undo you completely….I mean it rendered two grown adults a puddle of tears because you think you are going to experience some kind of emotional closure...but no. This brilliant episode ends and you end up a crying blubbering mess...we were both...undone! You wipe your eyes and blow your nose and slug you loving husband for providing this cinematic emotional entrapment...and then you watch one more…because you are crying...and because you seek closure. And so, season 8 episode #6 "Period of Adjustment"

because at this point...the tears will not stop and you have to find out if Radar made it home and if he connects with Peg and Erin in the airport and how will Klinger ever replace our beloved Radar…and...and...and...I mean...this silly television program that topped the charts when I was a toddler...it's been my emotional undoing. And I'm forever grateful.

Grateful for these characters...these one time mentors and now easily relatable adult contemporaries….who are just slugging their way through an unpredictable unprecedented unbelievable time of life. I wonder if at some point, like in thirty years from now, a television show about how a ragtag group of average American survived a global pandemic will eventually conjure a similar emotional response in a future generation who will be slugging their way through their very own unthinkable Koren War or Covid-19 global pandemic kind of experience.

Tonight, grateful for my wise ice-cream addicted grandparents who planted a seed of devotion.

Grateful for Burke's loveable but sometimes crazy-making obsession with long running TV shows.

Grateful for really brilliant writing, well developed characters, impressive acting skills, relatable storylines and a much needed emotional release.

If eight seasons seems like way too much of a commitment….I completely understand and truly have zero expectations for that level of commitment. BUT, if you are in need of some really good TV and need a good long cry….you may just want to check it out.