On this Labor Day weekend, American families are normally either sitting at the beach, relaxing, or standing over a grill, making memories with their families as the summer winds down. While I am doing neither (although the grill does look tempting) I guess that, like most people in this country and around the world, I have become (once again) a news junkie -- looking at the images from the Gulf Coast and the destruction of Katrina.
As I sat watching Guiding Light this week, and doing all of my "normal" tasks, I was only going through the motions. The show provided a nice escape (no pun intended), but the drama that should have kept my attention only seemed less real. Sure Michelle (who isn't real) didn't really have an accident and "lose" her baby. Reva (also not real) didn't fall down an elevator shaft. These two incidents could have certainly held my interest normally (although the Reva story really hasn't moved anywhere lately).
So while I could sit here in my comfortable air-conditioned house, complaining about the storylines, I won't. Because in the grand scheme of things, GL is just a story written for our entertainment, and real life drama packs more of a punch than any writer could dream up. I know many people who read this column normally (and probably a hundred thousand or so that don't) were directly affected by the storm. My heart goes out to them, and I hope that they can rebuild their lives soon. I know my own cousin Katy, a senior at Tulane, will probably have to go elsewhere for her last year of college. But she has a home to return to in Connecticut, with all of her family, for which we are very thankful.
I hope that each one of us takes time to appreciate all that we have and enjoy each day as it comes. Be safe. Enjoy your holiday weekend. I'll be back to my usual column next week with all the news from the Guiding Light Superstar weekend (provided we can get gas for my car -- many of the stations here are closed at the moment). Have a safe Labor Day weekend!!
Kimberly
