Somehow I became a fan of the TV show The Walking Dead. If you know me in real life, you are probably just as surprised as I am. I don't like horror movies and do NOT like to be scared. Zombies are not my usual fare. I am not ashamed to admit, I watch the show with my finger on the mute button. The zombie moans and sounds of heads being bashed in are too much for me. (Yo Momma would be recounting the story, right about now, of how when I was little I was watching something and got scared, prompting me to cover my ears and say "I don't want to watch, I don't want to watch." It was the noise that was the problem.)
I got sucked into The Walking Dead by one of AMC's marathons. I think I originally started somewhere in Season 3. I got to know the characters after they had been entrenched in this zombie apocalypse for awhile. They had this zombie thing pretty much under their belts and were dealing with the human conundrum. I never went back to watch the first seasons, until the latest AMC marathon. I got sucked in, again, but this time for another reason. I sat there, looking back to the beginning of the show, amazed at how much changed in such a short time. Not only in the story line but in the characters themselves. I "met" old-but-new-to-me characters. I marveled at the differences in the voices of characters. Really, go listen to Glenn in season one and then go listen to Glenn now...his voice has changed. I almost didn't recognize Carol. And Darryl...WOW! He actually talked, a lot, those first couple of seasons...and his hair was really short.
It's just a TV show but marveling at the differences between season one and season five, I began to think about real-life. We all go through changes, most are not nearly as extreme as the zombie apocalypse, but many are extreme and really tough to deal with just the same. I wonder what I would marvel at if I was able watch a movie of my life...or my friends lives...or my family members.
I know that I'm not the same person I was 10 years ago or even a year ago. I can look at family members and friends around me and say the same thing. Our circumstances change us. We adapt and, hopefully, grow with each new situation we find ourselves in.
The last few years have brought about a lot of changes in my life. Some expected, some unexpected. There are many I would like to go back and get a do-over on, but one thing is for certain, with each change comes new growth, new vision, new wisdom, new opportunities and a reminder that I have a responsibility to make something out of my life, right now. I can just sit by and watch the days go by or I can choose to get up, to walk out the door each morning and participate in the life I've been given, changes and all.
Maybe, that's why I've connected so much with The Walking Dead. These characters have found themselves in a situation where they are forced to adapt to the changes of the world around them, or die. It's fascinating to see the metamorphosis of the characters as they learn to deal with the situations in front of them and fight to survive, as best they can, accepting the good and the bad inside of themselves.
Sunday night, as exhausted as I was from a super long day, I found myself staying awake, waiting for 9pm and the beginning of a new season of The Walking Dead. It was gross and awesome and there was more humor amidst the darkness than I had noticed before. I actually laughed out loud a couple of times...huh, change?
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