I’m all into this show on A&E called Intervention. The show is about, as the producers term them, “addicts.” The addictions range from heroin, meth, and alcohol to gambling and bulimia. The show follows the addicts through their daily lives; you literally watch them shoot up, pass out, or vomit into a Ziploc bag. You see them lie to their families and friends, and to themselves. The addicts think they are just part of a documentary and don’t realize that their families have arranged for an intervention. The addicts’ loved ones confront them with an intervention specialist, giving them ultimatums which they will carry out should the addict not agree to go to treatment immediately. “If you don’t agree to get help today, you will have to move out of my house” or “I will no longer accept your phone calls or give you money,” etc. Basically the enablers are refusing to enable any longer. I’ve cried more than once while watching this show.
I don’t know what it is about these types of shows that is so riveting to me. I have always been fascinated by what goes on in other people’s lives. Their upbringings, their tragedies and triumphs. What never ceases to amaze me is how deceiving outward appearances can be. I would never imagine by looking at or having simple interactions with some of these people that they are dangerously close to the edge.
Something I have never done is wish I were someone else. Sure, I wanted to have Spoiled Rich Chick’s car, or Tan Aerobics Instructor’s body. I have admired elements of other peoples’ lives, even coveted them. But thankfully, I have always known that being someone else does not equal happiness. What you see or know of others, aside from close family and friends, is very superficial. Spoiled Rich Chick or Tan Aerobics Instructor could have a loveless marriage, non-existent self-esteem, a drug habit, or feel chronically empty inside. Despite the images being projected, we do not know the whole story.
Think of your life: all its details… family, work, money, worries, dreams, hopes, anxieties, plans, regrets, insecurities, likes and dislikes. Now think about the fact that EVERY SINGLE PERSON OUT THERE has these just like you. It’s easy to look at people and just see shells. Everyone outside of our circle seems like an extra on the set of a movie; inconsequential, moving in and out of the scene without making any real impact. We are all guilty of this; it’s human nature. I try to remember that each person has their own story, full of details and realities that I can’t even begin to be aware of by looking at them or speaking a few words to them. There are literally BILLIONS of stories out there – as many stories as there are people. The person who always seems to be happy at the office may be scared or content or depressed when they lay down in bed at night. Or the person who seems like they have everything may be laying awake in bed at night thinking of how empty they feel inside, and what they can do to make the emptiness go away.
I have innumerable intricacies in my life, just like every other person on the planet. I have my worries and my successes and my failures. But they are mine. I do not want anyone else’s. Mine are familiar to me, even if they can be uncomfortable and knock me on my ass sometimes. Some people may very well be happy or fulfilled underneath it all, in which case I am glad for them, but still don’t want to be them. On the other hand, that green grass on the other side of the fence just might be Astroturf. I’m thinking it looks mighty fine from a distance, how I wish my grass were that green and perfectly manicured. But I take a closer look and realize that this grass isn’t real and lush at all, like it looked from my side of the fence, but is instead an artificial cover-up for the dead dryness that lies underneath.
I’ll keep living life on my side of the fence – this is where I want to be. But my fence will always be a short one. This way I can see over the fence into all the other yards out there and maybe even go hang out once in awhile.
Got me thinking! Thanks! I linked this in my post yesterday. Hope you don't mind.
Posted by: Bee | Wednesday, January 18, 2006 at 08:24 AM
what a wonderful post! hi, Michele sent me.
Posted by: Janet | Monday, January 16, 2006 at 12:38 PM