Last week, with all the unspeakable things found on the newsfeed every night, the only thing I wanted to do was curl up on the couch and watch a little Andy Griffith. I know it may seem silly, but it was just nice to escape for a little while into a time when everything seemed to make a little more sense–happy families and friends in a small town just gives me a little more faith in humanity. Doesn’t it you?
So tonight, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite lessons from The Andy Griffith Show in hopes that it warms your heart and brings a little smile to your face.
1.) Anytime you can, take an afternoon to picnic with family & friends.
2.) Parent + child bonding time is of the utmost importance.
3.) When someone you love makes you something inedible, sneak into the kitchen and secretly exchange the terrible something for a tastier something. Then, you won’t have to lie when she asks what you think.
4.) You’re never too old for a little dress-up.
5.) Be ready for action at all times… & always dress the part!
6.) Always be willing to offer your friends a place to stay when they’ve had a little too much.
7.) When your best gal wants to run for council, your time would best be used just making posters with your mouth shut.
8.) If you want to feel better about the state of the world, put the Christmas episode from the first season in your Netflix queue. (It’s episode 11.) You can thank me later.
9.) When in doubt, go fishin’… or, at if you’re anything like me, just lay out by the lake.
10.) There is no better way to end an evening than with a little singin’ on the porch.
So tell me: What television shows do you use for a little escape?
Roseanne. I know it doesn’t necessarily make sense, because the Conner family went through quite a few rough patches, too. There’s something about how normal it all seemed that made it a comforting show.
Two comments:
1) My father was Andy Griffith. He was the chief of police in a small town who never wore his gun. He firmly believed a good cop could talk his way out of any situation. Ah, life before meth. He knew every widow in town who lived alone and drove by on his morning patrol to take in their paper, bring in the garbage cans and check that the smoke was coming out of their chimney. All just to ensure they were okay. When a seedy trailer court opened and became a haven for narcotics sales, he simply parked his patrol car in front of the trailer and worked from it for a couple of days. No warrants, no arrests, no confrontation they just left.
2) Family Ties. Alex Keaton may have been my first sartorial inspiration. And Johnny Mathis sang they theme song, nuff said.